Under construction – not a live service
Sign in
Taking peoplePhase 3

Tests repurposed drugs for Long COVID symptoms in adults

Tests pirfenidone and upadacitinib against placebo in adults with Long COVID.

Key facts

Who runs it
Douglas D. Fraser
Where
Modena and Roma, ItalySee the 3 sitesAlso in 6 other countries, 7 sites
Trial code
Registry title
Long Covid (LC)-REVITALIZE - A Long Covid Repurposed Drug Study
Status
Recruiting
Phase
Phase 3
People taking part
348 people, planned
Started
10 Sept 2025
Expected to end
Dec 2027
Type of study
Interventional, 4 groupsOne group gets a placebo (a dummy treatment), for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Pirfenidone
  • Placebo for pirfenidone
  • Upadacitinib
  • Placebo for upadacitinib
Record updated
6 October 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults aged 18 to 65 who had Covid-19 in the past four years and still have Long Covid symptoms.

Age
18 to 65 years
Sex
All sexes can join.
Disease stage
Long Covid: symptoms that began or continued 3 months after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, last at least 2 months, have no other explanation, and are present more days than not.
Earlier treatment
People who took the study drugs within 30 days before enrolling cannot join. People with any earlier use of JAK inhibitors cannot join.
Biomarker or test result
Covid-19 within the past four years: a positive PCR or nucleocapsid antibody test, a positive rapid antigen test, or symptoms with a known exposure to a case.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant during the study
  • HIV, active hepatitis B or C, or active or latent tuberculosis
  • Earlier ICU stay for acute Covid-19, or a history of blood clots, heart attack or stroke
  • Positive SARS-CoV-2 test in the last 30 days, or symptoms of a Covid-19 like illness
  • Kidney or liver problems, or certain abnormal blood test results

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 51 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Eligible participants must meet all the following inclusion criteria:
  • Adults ≥ 18 years of age and ≤ 65 years of age
  • Previous Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2 infection) within the past four years, as determined by the site investigator using the following certainty scale (based on available clinical history and/or serologic data):; 3 - Confirmed Infection (PCR or n-Capsid Test): Prior positive nasopharyngeal or salivary PCR test for Covid-19 (documented proof and/or verbal confirmation by participant) or has positive nucleocapsid antibodies results; 2 - Probable Infection (Antigen Test): Participant verbally confirms a prior positive rapid antigen test without PCR confirmation; 1 - Possible Infection (Viral Syndrome and Epidemiological Link): Participant verbally confirms experiencing symptoms consistent with Covid-19 infection and has an epidemiological link (i.e., exposure to a confirmed case) without any positive testing
  • Persistent or new symptoms diagnosed as "Long Covid" as defined by the World Health Organization; "the continuation or development of new symptoms 3 months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection (Covid-19), with these symptoms lasting for at least 2 months with no other explanation". This diagnosis may come from a healthcare professional experienced in Long Covid diagnosis, or the site investigator. These symptoms must be present for more days than not and must not have been present prior to the onset of SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) infection
  • At the time of screening, participants should be experiencing at least one of the following self-reported symptoms or symptom clusters. Participant has self-reported issues with:
  • Fatigue
  • Breathing
  • Circulation
  • Memory, thinking, and/or communication
  • Muscles and/or joints; These five symptoms or symptom clusters were selected based on unpublished data from the National Institutes for Health and Care Research (NIHR, United Kingdom) and their alignment with five validated SBQ scales. The selection was driven by their prevalence and their significant impact on quality of life as reported in symptom assessments; Participant has the ability and is willing to follow study procedures throughout the study; Participant can provide informed consent

Who cannot take part

  • Persons of childbearing potential who are unwilling or unable to abstain from sex or to use at least one acceptable method of contraception from the time of screening through at least 30 days after the end of the study intervention period. Acceptable methods include barrier contraceptives (e.g., condoms or diaphragm) with spermicide, intrauterine devices (IUDs), hormonal contraceptives, oral contraceptive pills, and surgical sterilization. Participants unwilling to be counseled about the risks related to pregnancy or breastfeeding will also be excluded
  • Male participants must take precautions to avoid impregnating a female while participating in this study. If a male participant's partner can become pregnant, she must use an effective and reliable form of birth control, as listed above, during the study and for 30 days after the male participant's last dose of the investigational product. Additionally, male participants must agree to use a latex condom during sexual activity with partners who could become pregnant
  • Active herpes zoster infection (visible skin lesions) within 3 months prior to screening, or any history of disseminated or complicated herpes zoster or herpes simplex infection (e.g., VZV encephalitis)
  • Previous admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) for the treatment of acute COVID-19 infection
  • History of sepsis or a significant viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infection within 30 days prior to enrollment, as determined by the investigator
  • Use of one or more of the study drugs within 30 days prior to enrollment for the original indication or other purposes
  • Any prior exposure to JAK inhibitors
  • Taking any of the listed medications on the prohibited medications list in Appendix A
  • Covid vaccinations are prohibited within 30 days prior to enrollment
  • Live vaccine within the 30 days before enrollment or plan to receive live vaccines during the study period
  • Other vaccines, including influenza vaccine, are prohibited within 14 days of enrollment
  • Major surgery within 30 days prior to enrollment or plans for major surgery during the study
  • Any other co-existing medical condition or concomitant medication/therapy that might in the judgment of the study investigators, potentially impact the participant's safety or ability to adhere to the study protocol or interfere with the meaning of the clinical and research measurements as judged by the study investigators
  • Participation in any clinical study within the last 30 days prior to enrollment
  • Participants with HIV diagnosis
  • Participants with active hepatitis B or C diagnosis. Note: treated or cleared hepatitis C is not exclusionary
  • Participants with active or latent tuberculosis
  • Active malignancy or lymphoproliferative disorder that has not been in remission for at least five years. Localized non-melanoma skin cancers that have been definitively treated are not exclusionary
  • Positive SARS-CoV-2 test in the last 30 days or symptomatic with Covid-19 like illness
  • Any history of deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, unstable angina, atrial fibrillation, ventricular fibrillation, or myocardial infarction or stroke
  • Known allergic reactions to the components of the study drugs
  • eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73m2
  • Moderate to severe liver dysfunction, defined as Bilirubin > 1.5 x ULN or AST or ALT > 2 x ULN
  • Hemoglobin (Hbg) < 8.0 g/dL
  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) below 1,000 cells/mm³, confirmed with repeat testing
  • Absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) below 500 cells/mm³
  • Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels equal to or greater than three times the upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels equal to or greater than three times the ULN
  • Platelet count below 100,000 cells/mm³, confirmed with repeat testing
  • Platelet count above 500,000 cells/mm³, confirmed with repeat testing
  • Total fasting cholesterol levels of 280 mg/dL or higher, confirmed with repeat testing
  • Fasting low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels of 180 mg/dL or higher, confirmed with repeat testing
  • A personal or family history of long QT syndrome or an electrocardiogram (ECG) during screening showing a corrected QT interval (QTc) of 500 milliseconds or greater, calculated using Fridericia's formula
  • Participants who have any one or more of the following criteria at the time of enrollment will be excluded:
  • Participants who do not meet the criteria outlined above
  • Participants who are unable to provide their informed consent
  • Participants who are pregnant, lactating, or plan to become pregnant during the time of the study
  • Immunocompromised status, as determined by the investigator, that places the participant at an unacceptable risk for study participation
  • Intake or planned consumption of any of the following: Taurine, Curcumin, CoQ10, Creatine, Resveratrol, Fisetin, Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), Quercetin, Glycine, Spermidine, Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, Ergothioneine, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Carnitine, Benfotiamine, Carnosine, Crocin, N-acetylcysteine
  • Participants who participated in Phase One of this study (LC-Revitalize) are not eligible to participate in Phase Two
  • Currently hospitalized and/or incarcerated

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

  • Are you between 18 and 65 years old?

Where in Italy

Also in 6 other countries, 7 sites

  • Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio EmiliaModena, ItalyContact: Stephanie PerkinNot yet recruiting
  • INMI Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCSRoma, ItalyContact: Stephanie PerkinNot yet recruiting
  • Sapienza Università di RomaRoma, ItalyContact: Stephanie PerkinNot yet recruiting

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The Long-Covid (LC)-Revitalize clinical study is testing repurposed drug treatments for Long Covid, involving adult participants from Brazil, Canada, Italy, South Africa, Uganda, the United States, and Zambia. To qualify, participants must have had Covid-19 and experienced Long Covid symptoms for at least three months. The main goal of the study is to determine whether the drug treatments can improve symptoms in five key areas: 1) fatigue, 2) breathing, 3) memory, thinking, and communication, 4) muscle and joint pain, and 5) circulation. A secondary goal is to assess changes in the body, such as reducing inflammation, as well as to confirm the safety and tolerability of the treatments. In the first phase, 348 participants will take either one of two existing medications (upadacitinib or pirfenidone) or a placebo (a pill with no active ingredient) for three months. Although these medications are not yet approved for Long Covid, they are authorized for use in treating other health conditions. This study is adaptive, meaning it may adjust based on early results. In the second phase, the study could continue testing the most effective drug(s) against a placebo with new participants, explore combinations of drugs to see if they improve results, or discontinue the drugs if they prove ineffective or unsafe and test alternative treatments.

The 4 groups in the trial

  • PirfenidoneTreatment being tested

    267mg pirfenidone tablets, over encapsulated in hard-gelatin capsules

  • Placebo for PirfenidonePlacebo, for comparison

    Hard-gelatin capsules that are made to look and feel like the pirfenidone over encapsulated drug

  • UpadacitinibTreatment being tested

    15 mg upadacitinib tablets, over encapsulated in hard-gelatin capsules

  • Placebo for UpadacitinibPlacebo, for comparison

    Hard-gelatin capsules that are made to look and feel like the upadacitinib over encapsulated drug

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
LC-REVITALIZE - A Long Covid Repurposed Drug Study
Plain-language title
Tests repurposed drugs for Long COVID symptoms in adultsGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
Fit questions
Built from NCT06928272, who can take part
Record updated
6 October 2026