COVID-19 drug trial halted after just 4 patients
NCT ID NCT05889793
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether a medicine called emetine could help adults aged 30 and older recover from COVID-19. Participants took emetine or a placebo daily for 10 days. The trial was stopped early after only 4 people enrolled, so we don't have enough information to know if emetine works for COVID-19.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 2/3
Runs two stages together: whether the treatment works, then large-scale confirmation.
- Participants
-
4 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
May 2024
- Finished
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Dec 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
30 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 30 years of age or older at time of randomization * RT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection within ≤ 10 days of the screening visit. * In addition to confirmed RT-PCR, symptomatic Covid-19 patients with at least two or more symptoms within 7 days of the screening visit: Cough, shortness of breath, fever/chills, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, body aches, headache * Ability to give informed consent (administered in local language) Exclusion Criteria * Asymptomatic Covid-19 patients * Pregnant or breastfeeding woman * Current or recent use of the study drug * Known allergy to study drug * Current or planned participation in another interventional trial in next 10 days. * Critical Covid-19 patients (ARDS) at the time of screening. * Patients needing intubation, mechanical ventilation, or ICU care at screening * Patients with prior cardiac disease including cardiac dysrhythmias, heart failure, ischemic heart disease or cardiomyopathies.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Bharatpur Hospital
Bharatpur, Chitwan, 00000, Nepal
-
Johns Hopkins University, Division of Infectious Diseases
Baltimore, Maryland, 21231, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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