COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and remains a global health concern, though widespread vaccination and prior infection have reduced severe outcomes for many people. Current treatment includes antivirals like nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) and remdesivir, plus monoclonal antibodies for immunocompromised patients. Research now focuses on long COVID, next-generation vaccines, and better treatments for severe disease.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing antivirals that work against multiple variants, nasal vaccines that might prevent transmission, treatments for long COVID symptoms, and pan-coronavirus vaccines designed to protect against future variants. Researchers are also studying why some people develop long COVID and testing drugs that target inflammation, viral persistence, and immune dysfunction.
Long COVID treatments
Trials are testing drugs that reduce inflammation, clear lingering virus, or reset the immune system. Approaches include antivirals, anticoagulants, immune modulators, and repurposed medications for fatigue and brain fog.
Nasal and mucosal vaccines
New vaccines delivered as nasal sprays aim to block infection at the point of entry, potentially preventing transmission. Several are in trials to see if they outperform injected vaccines at stopping spread.
Pan-coronavirus vaccines
Researchers are developing vaccines that target parts of the virus shared across variants and related coronaviruses. The goal is a single vaccine that protects against future variants and potential new coronavirus outbreaks.
What to know before you search
Eligibility varies widely: some trials enroll people recently infected, others focus on long COVID patients with specific symptoms, and prevention trials often require immunocompromised status or high exposure risk.
What types of trials are currently open
- Antiviral trials — Testing new oral or IV antivirals, often comparing them to Paxlovid or testing combinations. Some aim to work against resistant variants.
- Long COVID trials — Testing treatments for persistent symptoms like fatigue, cognitive problems, breathing issues, and heart symptoms. Approaches range from antivirals to immune therapies.
- Vaccine trials — Testing updated vaccines, nasal vaccines, or next-generation shots designed to work across variants. Some studies compare vaccine combinations or dosing schedules.
- Prevention trials — Testing drugs or monoclonal antibodies that prevent infection in high-risk people, such as those who are immunocompromised.
- Observational studies — Following people who had COVID-19 to understand long-term health effects, immune response, and risk factors for severe disease or long COVID.
Recently added Covid-19 trials
Safety and Serum Virus Neutralizing Antibody Responses of VYD2311, a COVID-19 Vaccine, and Coadministered VYD2311 With a COVID-19 Vaccine
The main purposes of this research study are to measure the safety (whether it causes any side effects), tolerability (if it does cause any side effects, how well your body is able to handle them), and reactions, both local at the injection site and systemic, that may occur in the body after receiving VYD2311, or a COVID-19 vaccine, or a combination of VYD2311 and a COVID-19 vaccine in healthy participants. This research study will measure the amount of serum virus neutralizing antibodies produced in the blood (antibodies that block a virus from infecting cells) and pharmacokinetics of VYD2311 compared to a COVID-19 vaccine, when each is administered alone or concurrently. Pharmacokinetics is the study of how a drug moves through the body, including how it is absorbed (taken into the body), distributed (spread throughout the body), metabolized (broken down in the body), and eliminated (removed from the body), and how the body affects the drug.
Patient-Centered Practical Vaccine Talk For Busy Clinicians
The goal of this study is to assess the effect of an educational intervention for primary care providers (PCPs) on influenza and COVID-19 vaccine uptake among their adult patients through a pragmatic, cluster randomized trial in primary care clinics.
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