68 Metformin prevents the diagnosis of Long Covid in phase 3 trial of early treatment.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Chronic or new symptoms after infection with severe-acute-respiratory-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been termed post-acute sequelae of Covid-19 (PASC) or Long Covid. Our objective is to present results from COVID-OUT, a phase 3 double-blind, randomized controlled trial of early outpatient treatment of Covid-19 with repurposed medications. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: COVID-OUT enrolled adults age 30 to 85 with overweight or obesity who had proof of SARS-CoV-2 infection and fewer than 7 days of symptoms. In this 2 by 3 factorial design trial of metformin, ivermectin, fluvoxamine, or exact-matching placebo of each medication, participants were randomized 1:1:1:1:1:1 to the 6 treatment allocations. This abstract focuses on whether early treatment with metformin prevented Long Covid. Immediate release metformin was titrated to 1500mg daily over the first 6 days. We assessed the incidence of clinician-diagnosed Long Covid with follow up through 10 months after enrollment. We also assessed where participants were diagnosed with Long Covid, and where they received Long Covid treatment. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Of 1124 participants, 98 (8.7%) report having a healthcare provider make a diagnosis of long covid. By arm, 6.9% (39/564) of metformin participants report having a diagnosis for long covid as compared with 10.5% (59/560) of matched placebo controls. The absolute reduction attributable to metformin was 3.6% (95%CI, 0.3% to 7.0%; P=0.031) with a relative risk reduction of 34% (95%CI, 3% to 55%). The metformin cost per long covid case averted was $28 (95%CI, $15 to $306). 10-month follow-up data will be available at the time of presentation as well as an analysis of baseline factors associated with the development of Long-Covid, independent of treatment allocation in the trial. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Metformin reduced the incidence of clinician-diagnosed long covid by 34% in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial, and previous research published in-vitro activity by metformin against SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA viruses. Further investigation of metformin as early treatment for SARS-CoV-2 is warranted.