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Case series: Maraviroc and pravastatin as a therapeutic option to treat long COVID/Post-acute sequelae of COVID (PASC) (Patterson et al, 2023)

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600
Abstract

Post-acute sequelae of COVID (PASC), or long COVID, is a multisystem complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection that continues to debilitate millions worldwide thus highlighting the public health importance of identifying effective therapeutics to alleviate this illness. One explanation behind PASC may be attributed to the recent discovery of persistent S1 protein subunit of SARS-CoV-2 in CD16+ monocytes up to 15 months after infection. CD16+ monocytes, which express both CCR5 and fractalkine receptors (CX3CR1), play a role in vascular homeostasis and endothelial immune surveillance. We propose targeting these receptors using the CCR5 antagonist, maraviroc, along with pravastatin, a fractalkine inhibitor, could disrupt the monocytic-endothelial-platelet axis that may be central to the etiology of PASC. Using five validated clinical scales (NYHA, MRC Dyspnea, COMPASS-31, modified Rankin, and Fatigue Severity Score) to measure 18 participants’ response to treatment, we observed significant clinical improvement in 6 to 12 weeks on a combination of maraviroc 300 mg per oral twice a day and pravastatin 10 mg per oral daily. Subjective neurological, autonomic, respiratory, cardiac and fatigue symptoms scores all decreased which correlated with statistically significant decreases in vascular markers sCD40L and VEGF. These findings suggest that by interrupting the monocytic-endothelial-platelet axis, maraviroc and pravastatin may restore the immune dysregulation observed in PASC and could be potential therapeutic options. This sets the framework for a future double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized trial to further investigate the drug efficacy of maraviroc and pravastatin in treating PASC.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2023.1122529/full
 

Murph

:)
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1,799
This looks like a reasonable approach. Even if the vascular issues are downstream of something else, there's benefit in symptom treatment. What's more, if the disease is in any way self-perpetuating, treating the symptoms could create a reduction in severity.

edit: that said the lead author is Bruce Patterson, and my sense is he's convinced he's found the cause of long covid. Now, he may be right. But his barnstorming approach is definitely not the kind that would pay a lot of attention to conflicting information when it comes to light. So I view everything he does with some skepticism. Luckily, when you storm barns so noisily, people will line up to replicate your findings so we won't have to wait too long to see if this can be repated.
 
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