Can existing drugs stop COVID-19 from getting worse?

NCT ID NCT04581954

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 24, 2026

Summary

This study tested two drugs, ruxolitinib and fostamatinib, in hospitalized adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 pneumonia. The goal was to see if either drug could prevent the disease from becoming severe. 185 patients were randomly assigned to receive one of the drugs or standard care for 14 days, and their progress was tracked for 28 days.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

    London, W12 0HS, United Kingdom

  • London North West University Healthcare

    London, HA1 3UJ, United Kingdom

  • Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

    Reading, RG1 5AN, United Kingdom

  • Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - Royal Hallamshire Hospital

    Sheffield, S10 2JF, United Kingdom

  • The Leeds Teaching Hospital - St James University Hospitals NHS Trust

    Leeds, LS9 7TF, United Kingdom

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

ruxolitinib and fostamatinib

What this could lead to

If successful, these drugs could offer a new treatment option to prevent severe COVID-19 pneumonia in hospitalized patients.

What could go wrong

This was a relatively small, early-phase trial (Phase 1/2) with 185 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The drugs also have known side effects like infection risk.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Coronavinae infectious disease COVID-19 pneumonia

As listed by the trial registrant

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