University led ‘long Covid’ study secures funding to test drug

A team of researchers led by the University of Derby has received funding to test an anti-viral drug as a potential treatment for ‘long Covid’.

The funding will allow the team behind the ground-breaking project, which includes experts from the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, to investigate whether an anti-viral medication commonly used to treat people with acute Covid-19, could support the management of people living with long Covid.

Long Covid remains a significant health and societal challenge. Current estimates show that approximately 1.9 million people in the UK (2.9% of the population) have the condition – almost a quarter of whom have had their symptoms for more than two years.

Study lead, Dr Mark Faghy, associate professor in respiratory physiology at the University of Derby, said: “We have seen that long Covid has a huge impact on the lives of patients. However, at present, there are no confirmed treatments that have improved patient outcomes.

“This project will shed light on whether using existing antiviral treatment could help address this global challenge.

“Millions have been affected by this terrible condition which makes research like this critically important as we seek to find new ways to improve care.”

Globally, estimates suggest that over 144 million developed long Covid, with 22 million experiencing persistent symptoms at 12 months after the onset of their infection.

People affected may experience symptoms such as extreme fatigue and breathlessness, palpitations, or brain fog.

In many cases these can be debilitating, interfering with work, family life and socialising.

The cause of long Covid is not yet clear; however, a widely recognised theory is that the virus persists within specific cells of the infected person, causing an associated inflammatory response, and a wide range of prolonged symptoms.

The University of Derby-led study, supported by funding from Gilead Sciences Inc., will allow the team to assess whether a certain antiviral medicine has the potential to be an effective treatment option for patients once diagnosed with long Covid.

Eligible patients will undergo a series of tests before and after being given the medication to monitor any improvements in long-standing issues they are experiencing.

From January 2024, eligible people will be contacted and invited to take part in the study.

Dr Julian Cole, country medical director at Gilead Sciences UK & Ireland, said: “Anybody who has suffered from long Covid, or knows somebody who has, will be aware of how debilitating this condition can be and the toll it can take on people’s lives.

“As a leader in the study of viral infection, Gilead is committed to supporting innovative research in this area and we are delighted to be collaborating on this important study.

“There is a clear need for people living with long Covid and the hope is that the findings from this study will help further inform how to effectively manage the condition.”