Evaluating imatinib in severe COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Considering the potential antiviral and immunomodulatory properties of imatinib, this drug has been investigated in several studies as a potential treatment option for severe cases of COVID-19, given that treatment modalities available remain limited.

Objectives: To evaluate the benefits or otherwise of imatinib for COVID-19 in severely ill patients, we performed a systematic review of studies that tested the efficacy and the safety of imatinib for COVID-19 and executed a meta-analysis.

Methods: We searched Medline, Embase and Cochrane with the following search terms: 'coronavirus', 'SARS-Cov2', 'covid', 'covid-19' and 'imatinib'. The latest search date was November 2023. We used Cochrane Collaboration's tool to assess bias in randomized trials.

Results: We included three randomized controlled trials with 561 participants. A total of 276 patients received imatinib and 285 received placebo. The mortality results showed no statistically significant differences between imatinib and controls (RR 0.61; 95% CI 0.37 to 1.01; p=0.06). There was no significant difference in length of hospital stay or severe adverse events occurring between groups.

Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that the potential benefits of imatinib should be further evaluated in randomized controlled trials in patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; imatinib; inpatients.