Human evidence record · Thymosin alpha-1
Thymosin alpha-1 as add-on treatment in moderate-to-severe COVID-19
Mortality was reported as 11.1% in the thymosin arm versus 38.5% placebo.
Quick read
Human evidence record
What this study tells us
Participants were assigned to comparison groups by chance, usually with placebo and/or blinding to reduce bias. This is a strong design for testing cause and effect, but the population, duration and endpoints still limit what can be concluded.
Who was studied?
Adults with moderate-to-severe COVID-19
How many?
n=105
What happened?
Mortality was reported as 11.1% in the thymosin arm versus 38.5% placebo.
What stops us overclaiming?
Small single-country study from an early pandemic treatment era; not sufficient to generalize across viral illnesses or current care.
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Key result
Mortality was reported as 11.1% in the thymosin arm versus 38.5% placebo.
Study details
Study designDouble-blind, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial
PhasePhase III
PopulationAdults with moderate-to-severe COVID-19
Sample size105
RouteClinical study formulation
Regimen / exposureThymosin alpha-1 plus standard of care versus placebo plus standard of care
Duration28-day follow-up
ComparatorPlacebo
Primary endpoint / questionMortality, progression, hospital/ICU stay and safety
Safety result67 adverse events occurred in 42 participants; eight serious adverse events were deaths.
Key limitationsSmall single-country study from an early pandemic treatment era; not sufficient to generalize across viral illnesses or current care.
Registry / identifierPMID 36042753