NCT05852873

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare treatment with oral Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) and placebo for acute COVID-19 as an intervention to prevent long-COVID (post-COVID-19 condition) in adults aged 18-64 years old. The main question it aims to answer is: Does treatment with Paxlovid for acute COVID-19 reduce the prevalence of long-COVID compared to placebo. Participants with acute COVID-19, documented with positive lateral flow test or PCR, within the last 5 days will be randomised to take either Paxlovid or placebo. All participants will receive standard of care in addition. Participants will respond to electronic questionnaires at 14 time points during follow-up. The primary outcome is presence of long-COVID symptoms at 3 months follow-up. Researchers will compare participants who received Paxlovid and placebo to see if Paxlovid treatment can prevent the occurrence of long-COVID.

Trial Health

75
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
2,000

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for phase_3

Timeline
14mo left

Started May 2023

Typical duration for phase_3

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
active not recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress73%
May 2023Jun 2027

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

May 8, 2023

Completed
2 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

May 10, 2023

Completed
2 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

May 12, 2023

Completed
2.3 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 9, 2025

Completed
1.8 years until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

June 11, 2027

Expected
Last Updated

November 21, 2025

Status Verified

November 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

2.3 years

First QC Date

May 8, 2023

Last Update Submit

November 18, 2025

Conditions

Keywords

Nirmatrelvir ritonavirPrevention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Symptoms of long-COVID

    a dichotomous variable for presence of any of the three most important long-COVID symptoms: (i) fatigue, (ii) dyspnea and (iii) cognitive symptoms (defined as memory and/or concentration problems).

    Change in symptoms from baseline to 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (9)

  • Symptoms individually and grouped by organ system

    Change in symptoms from baseline to 3, 6, 12 and 24 months follow-up

  • Graded responses for symptoms and symptom constellations

    Change in symptoms from baseline to 3, 6, 12 and 24 months follow-up

  • Risk factors for long-COVID

    Up to 24 months

  • Severity of acute disease

    28 days

  • Hospitalisation

    28 days

  • +4 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will receive a standard 5-day treatment course nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir in addition to standard of care. The participants will receive 2 tablets nirmatrelvir 150 mg twice daily and 1 tablet ritonavir 100mg twice daily, both for a duration of 5 days. The tablets have been encapsulated to maintain blinding.

Drug: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants in the control arm will receive a 5-day course of placebo tablets in addition to standard of care. The participants will receive 3 tablets twice daily for 5 days. The placebo tablets have the same shape and appearance as the active comparator product. The tablets containing placebo and active comparato have both been encapsulated in the same way to maintain blinding.

Drug: Placebo

Interventions

Participants in the intervention arm will receive a standard 5-day treatment course Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir) in addition to standard of care.

Also known as: Paxlovid tablets
Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir

Participants in the control arm will receive a 5-day course of placebo tablets, with the same appearance and quantity, in addition to standard of care.

Also known as: Placebo tablets
Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 64 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • Symptoms attributable to COVID-19 started within the past 5 days and ongoing
  • Positive PCR or lateral flow SARS-CoV-2 test. Any positive PCR test or a lateral flow test taken between two days before symptom onset and randomisation qualifies.
  • Age between 18 and 65 years
  • Participant is able and willing to provide informed consent
  • Willingness to take a pregnancy test prior to starting study treatment (Participants of childbearing potential)

You may not qualify if:

  • Patients that are not able to comply with all study visits
  • Patient currently inpatient at hospital
  • Comorbidity which requires active antiviral treatment as judged by the investigator
  • Any chronic renal impairment
  • Any chronic liver disease or liver impairment
  • Previous randomisation in the PANORAMIC Norway trial
  • Currently participating in a clinical trial of a therapeutic agent
  • Currently taking Paxlovid
  • Known allergy to Paxlovid
  • Use of concomitant medication contraindicated for the treatment of Paxlovid\*
  • Pregnant and lactating women
  • Participants of childbearing potential (participants who are anatomically and physiologically capable of becoming pregnant), or have a partner of childbearing potential, not willing to use highly effective contraceptive until 7 days after completing Paxlovid.
  • \* Concomitant medications that are contraindicated for the treatment of Paxlovid
  • Medicinal products that are highly dependent on CYP3A for clearance and for which elevated concentrations are associated with serious and/or life-threatening reactions.
  • Medicinal products that are potent CYP3A inducers where significantly reduced nirmatrelvir/ritonavir plasma concentrations may be associated with the potential for loss of virologic response and possible resistance. Paxlovid cannot be started immediately after discontinuation of such medicinal products due to the delayed offset of the recently discontinued CYP3A inducer.
  • +1 more criteria

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Haukeland University Hospital

Bergen, Vestland, 5021, Norway

Location

Related Publications (12)

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    PMID: 8841141BACKGROUND
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    PMID: 8440190BACKGROUND
  • Franke DR, Nuttall KL. Orotic acid in clinical urine specimens by capillary zone electrophoresis using polyvinyl alcohol coated capillaries. J Capillary Electrophor. 1996 Nov-Dec;3(6):309-12.

    PMID: 9384725BACKGROUND
  • Boyce ST, Greenhalgh DG, Kagan RJ, Housinger T, Sorrell JM, Childress CP, Rieman M, Warden GD. Skin anatomy and antigen expression after burn wound closure with composite grafts of cultured skin cells and biopolymers. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1993 Apr;91(4):632-41. doi: 10.1097/00006534-199304000-00010.

    PMID: 8446717BACKGROUND
  • Stokel-Walker C. The search for antivirals for covid-19. BMJ. 2021 Sep 20;374:n2165. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n2165. No abstract available.

    PMID: 34544682BACKGROUND
  • Kim PS, Read SW, Fauci AS. Therapy for Early COVID-19: A Critical Need. JAMA. 2020 Dec 1;324(21):2149-2150. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.22813. No abstract available.

    PMID: 33175121BACKGROUND
  • Dorey G, Dubois L, Prodo de Carvalho LP, Potier P, Dodd RH. Synthetic routes to 4-amino-3-carboxy-beta-carboline derivatives: incidental formation of novel furo[3,4-c]-beta-carbolin-2-ones displaying high affinities for the benzodiazepine receptor. J Med Chem. 1995 Jan 6;38(1):189-98. doi: 10.1021/jm00001a024.

    PMID: 7837230BACKGROUND
  • Ghittori S, Maestri L, Maraccini P, Imbriani M. Acetone in urine as biological index of occupational exposure to isopropyl alcohol. Ind Health. 1996;34(4):409-14. doi: 10.2486/indhealth.34.409.

    PMID: 8908851BACKGROUND
  • Crandall CS. Prejudice against fat people: ideology and self-interest. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1994 May;66(5):882-94. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.66.5.882.

    PMID: 8014833BACKGROUND
  • Nook TH. In vivo measurement of the keratolytic effect of salicylic acid in three ointment formulations. Br J Dermatol. 1987 Aug;117(2):243-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1987.tb04123.x.

    PMID: 3651343BACKGROUND
  • Ertesvag NU, Iversen A, Blomberg B, Ozgumus T, Rijal P, Fjelltveit EB, Cox RJ, Langeland N; Bergen COVID-19 research group. Post COVID-19 condition after delta infection and omicron reinfection in children and adolescents. EBioMedicine. 2023 Jun;92:104599. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104599. Epub 2023 May 5.

    PMID: 37149931BACKGROUND
  • Blomberg B, Myklebust NN, Oppegaard O, Tondel C, Cox RJ, Iversen A, Lehmann ME, Sandvig A, Dahl TB, Valderhaug VD, Szodoray P, Wilhelmsen M, Kirsebom BE, Glambek M, Kaarboe O, Aukrust P, Lie RT, Langeland N. Randomized trial of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir versus placebo for adults with acute COVID-19 to prevent long COVID: PanoramicNOR Trial. Trials. 2025 Nov 6;26(1):477. doi: 10.1186/s13063-025-09226-6.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

COVID-19

Interventions

nirmatrelvir and ritonavir drug combination

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pneumonia, ViralPneumoniaRespiratory Tract InfectionsInfectionsVirus DiseasesCoronavirus InfectionsCoronaviridae InfectionsNidovirales InfectionsRNA Virus InfectionsLung DiseasesRespiratory Tract Diseases

Study Officials

  • Nina Langeland, MD, PhD

    Haukeland University Hospital

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 3
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
TRIPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Model Details: Double-blinded placebo-controlleded randomized clinical trial
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

May 8, 2023

First Posted

May 10, 2023

Study Start

May 12, 2023

Primary Completion

September 9, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 11, 2027

Last Updated

November 21, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

Individual participant data may be shared with other researchers upon reasonable request, provided patient confidentiality is fully maintained

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF, ANALYTIC CODE
Time Frame
After study completion and after the publication of the main outcomes of the trial.
Access Criteria
Individual participant data may be shared with other researchers upon reasonable request, provided patient confidentiality is fully maintained

Locations