Cheap diabetes drug metformin slashes long COVID risk in major trial

NCT ID NCT04510194

Completed Disease control Sponsor: University of Minnesota Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether three common drugs—metformin, ivermectin, and fluvoxamine—could prevent severe illness and long COVID in 1,323 adults with early COVID-19. Participants were overweight or obese and not hospitalized. The key finding was that metformin reduced the risk of developing long COVID by about 40%, while ivermectin and fluvoxamine did not show significant benefit for preventing severe disease.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

COVID-19 severe acute respiratory syndrome

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

COVID19 SARS-COV INFECTION

Contacts and locations

Locations

American Health Network of Indiana

Greenfield, Indiana, 46140, United States
Hennepin County Medical Center

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55415, United States
New West Physicians

Golden, Colorado, 80401, United States
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
Olive View UCLA Medical Center

Sylmar, California, 91342, United States
University of Colorado Denver; Department of Medicine; Anschutz Health and Wellness Center

Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States
University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States

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