Pratima Sharma
Independent Researcher
Maharashtra, India
Abstract
The emergence of COVID-19 demanded novel therapeutic agents to mitigate both acute infection and long-term complications. Ensovibep, a designed ankyrin repeat protein (DARPin) antiviral therapeutic, showed promising efficacy in early infection management. However, its impact on long-term post-acute COVID-19 symptoms remains underexplored. This prospective study aimed to evaluate the 6-month post-acute outcomes among COVID-19 patients treated with Ensovibep compared to standard-of-care controls, focusing on respiratory, cardiovascular, neurocognitive, and quality-of-life parameters. A total of 240 PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients were enrolled at two tertiary care centers. Of these, 120 received Ensovibep during the acute phase, while 120 matched controls received standard care. Data were prospectively collected on post-acute sequelae using symptom inventories, spirometry, echocardiography, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and SF-36 quality-of-life scores at 3 and 6 months post-discharge. Ensovibep-treated patients exhibited significantly reduced incidence of dyspnea (17.5% vs. 32.5%, p < 0.05), cognitive impairment (MoCA < 25: 11.7% vs. 24.2%), and fatigue (20.8% vs. 38.3%) at 6 months. Quality-of-life scores across physical and mental domains were higher in the Ensovibep group. Cardiopulmonary assessments also showed reduced prevalence of post-viral myocarditis and pulmonary function abnormalities. Ensovibep administration during the acute phase of COVID-19 was associated with improved post-acute recovery and fewer long-COVID symptoms over 6 months. These findings support its role in early intervention to limit prolonged morbidity.
Keywords
COVID-19; Ensovibep; post-acute sequelae; long COVID; DARPin therapeutics; prospective cohort; quality of life; neurocognitive outcome; observational study; antiviral therapy
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