Blinded, multicenter, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial evaluating lopinavir/ritonavir vs placebo in early outpatient treatment of adults with COVID-19
We will conduct an investigator-initiated, multicenter, blinded, placebo-controlled,
randomized clinical trial evaluating lopinavir/ritonavir vs placebo for early treatment of
adults with COVID-19 in the outpatient setting prior to hospitalization. Patients, treating
clinicians, and study personnel will all be blinded to study group assignment.
Drug: Lopinavir/Ritonavir 400 mg/100 mg
Lopinavir/Ritonavir tablets
Other Name: Kaletra
Other: Placebo
Unmatched placebo
Inclusion Criteria:
1. Age ≥18 years
2. Laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
infection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or other
molecular test collected within the past 6 days
3. Current symptoms of acute respiratory infection for ≤6 days, defined as one or more of
the following: cough, fever, shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal pain,
nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, weakness/fatigue.
Exclusion Criteria:
1. Prisoner
2. Pregnancy
3. Breast feeding
4. Two individuals from the same household are not enrolled in the study
5. Unable to randomize within 6 days after onset of acute respiratory infection symptoms
6. Hospitalization within the 6 days prior to randomization
7. Inability to swallow oral medications
8. Refusal or inability to be contacted and participate in daily symptom/safety
monitoring in English or Spanish during the two-week follow-up period
9. Previous enrollment in this trial
10. Known severe chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis
11. Known severe liver disease [cirrhosis or >3 times upper limit of normal for aspartate
aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in medical record if
available]
12. Known hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection
13. Known history of jaundice
14. Current heavy alcohol use, defined as 8 drinks or more per week for women or 15 drinks
or more per week for men
15. Known seizure disorder
16. Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
17. Known history of pancreatitis
18. Known history of prolonged QT interval [Long QT Syndrome, patient report, or corrected
QT interval (QTc) >500 milliseconds on most recently available electrocardiogram
within the past 2 years]
19. Receipt of >1 dose of lopinavir/ritonavir in the 10 days prior to enrollment
20. Known allergy to lopinavir/ritonavir
21. Currently prescribed (with planned continuation) or planned administration during
14-day study period of medication at high risk for QT prolongation as follows:
Antiarrhythmics: Amiodarone, disopyramide, dofetilide, dronedarone, flecainide,
ibutilide, procainamide, propafenone, quinidine, sotalol Anti-cancer: Arsenic
trioxide, oxaliplatin, vandetanib Antidepressants: Amitriptyline, citalopram,
escitalopram, imipramine Antimicrobials: azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin,
erythromycin, fluconazole, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, pentamidine, hydroxychloroquine
Antipsychotics: haloperidol, chlorpromazine, droperidol, olanzapine, pimozide,
quetiapine, thioridazine, risperidone, ziprasidone Others: cilostazol, cimetidine,
cisapride, donepezil, methadone, ondansetron, sumatriptan
22. Currently prescribed (with planned continuation) or planned administration during
14-day study period of any of the following medications: alfuzosin, apalutamide,
astemizole, ergot-containing medicines (including dihydroergotamine mesylate,
ergotamine tartrate, methylergonovine), lomitapide, lovastatin, lurasidone, midazolam,
phenobarbital, phenytoin, ranolazine, rifampin, sildenafil, simvastatin, St. John's
Wort, terfenadine, triazolam. Patients who are on warfarin or fluticasone will be
advised to contact their primary care provider to advise them that they are in the
trial and possibly receiving lopinavir/ritonavir which can influence levels of either
drug and may require more frequent monitoring.
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Aurora, Colorado, United States
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi, United States
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Intermountain
Murray, Utah, United States
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Todd Rice, MD, Principal Investigator
Vanderbilt University Medical Center