COVID-19Phase 2/3EVOLVENCT05889793
Evaluating Emetine for Viral Outbreaks (EVOLVE)
A Phase 2/3 study testing Emetine Hydrochloride in people with COVID-19, run by Johns Hopkins University at 2 sites in 2 countries.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial (phase 2/phase 3) is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of emetine administered orally for symptomatic Covid-19 patients in patients ages 30 years and above. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 30 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- COVID-19
- What is being tested?
- Emetine Hydrochloride
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 4 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesin 2 countries
- Study dates
- 15 May 2024to 15 Dec 2025
- Phase
- Phase 2/3
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 30 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 30 years of age or older at time of randomization
- RT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection within ≤ 10 days of the screening visit.
- In addition to confirmed RT-PCR, symptomatic Covid-19 patients with at least two or more symptoms within 7 days of the screening visit: Cough, shortness of breath, fever/chills, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, body aches, headache
- Ability to give informed consent (administered in local language)
Who cannot join
- Asymptomatic Covid-19 patients
- Pregnant or breastfeeding woman
- Current or recent use of the study drug
- Known allergy to study drug
- Current or planned participation in another interventional trial in next 10 days.
- Critical Covid-19 patients (ARDS) at the time of screening.
- Patients needing intubation, mechanical ventilation, or ICU care at screening
- Patients with prior cardiac disease including cardiac dysrhythmias, heart failure, ischemic heart disease or cardiomyopathies.
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 2 countries.
2 sites in 2 countries
United States1 site
Johns Hopkins University, Division of Infectious Diseases
Baltimore, Maryland, 21231
About this study
Official title: Emetine for Viral Outbreaks: Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial to Evaluate Oral Emetine Against Covid-19 (EVOLVE)
The goal of this clinical trial (phase 2/phase 3) is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of emetine administered orally for symptomatic Covid-19 patients in patients ages 30 years and above. Participants will be asked to:
- Take Emetine 6mg orally for 10 consecutive days
- Be monitored by healthcare staff or self-monitor for daily vital signs and symptoms
- Undergo blood draws
Researchers will compare the control group given placebo medicine to assess if emetine improved the symptoms of Covid-19.
Read the detailed description
More than 675 million cases of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) have occurred in this ongoing pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). More than 6.8 million people have died so far, with case count and deaths cumulating every day. Despite the scale of the damage, there exists extremely limited antiviral treatment options for Covid-19. Emetine exhibits broad spectrum antiviral activity including inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 by inhibiting viral replication and protein biosynthesis. It has been have recently shown that by lowering the standard amoebicidal dose by a factor of 10, emetine can inhibit viral replication while avoiding cardiovascular toxicity. Therefore, the investigators plan to evaluate emetine's efficacy and safety for treatment of symptomatic Covid-19 in a randomized, clinical trial. Emetine, an alkaloid extracted from ipecacuanha roots, was widely used for the treatment of amoebic dysentery. Because of cardiotoxicity (cardiac dysrhythmias), emetine was replaced by metronidazole. The toxicity was unequivocally associated with high-dose emetine (60 mg/day for 10 days to achieve a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 25 µM against Entamoeba hystolytica); however, the cardiovascular side-effects were minimal or none when emetine was used for various indications in low dose (<20 mg/day). In a screening of 3000 potential compounds against SARS-CoV-2, emetine was found to have the lowest half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 4.0e-4 µM and a half maximum cytotoxicity concentration (CC50) >10 µM in Vero E6 cells providing it a high therapeutic index. Likewise, several in-vitro studies have demonstrated very low IC50 (~0.05µM) against SARS-CoV-2 for emetine. Based on this, a lower dose of emetine (6 mg/day for 10 days) has been calculated for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. The investigators hypothesize that low dose emetine will be effective and safe in the treatment of Covid-19. Extensive use of the drug in the past has documented that low dose usage avoids the cardiovascular side-effects there were present at higher doses (>20 mg per day); however, the safety has not been systematically documented in a clinical trial, a key objective of this study. The primary objective of the trial would be to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral formulation of emetine for patients diagnosed with Covid-19 in a phase 2 study to be followed up by a multicenter phase 3 study based on the preliminary results. Proven beneficial, this study has the potential to save millions of lives by providing a viable, convenient option for treatment of Covid-19. Preliminary results can provide the basis for additional research to evaluate added benefit to patients by combining emetine with other drugs. Emetine has also been shown in-vitro to have activity against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Zika, Cytomegalovirus and Ebola virus infections-this highlights a broader application for emetine beyond coronavirus infections.
- Conditions
- COVID-19
- Being tested
- Emetine Hydrochloride, Placebo
- Medical subject headings
- COVID-19
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Emetine HydrochlorideDrug
To administer Emetine Hydrochloride 6mg orally for 10 consecutive days to evaluate the efficacy and safety of emetine for symptomatic Covid-19 patients.
PlaceboDrug
Participant takes a placebo for 10 consecutive days.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Emetine | Active comparator | Participant takes Emetine 6mg for 10 consecutive days Receives: Drug: Emetine Hydrochloride |
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | Participant takes a placebo for 10 consecutive days Receives: Drug: Placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Evaluate effectiveness of emetine in symptomatic Covid-19 patients
Effectiveness of emetine will be assessed by a 1) composite outcome of Hospitalization, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, death
Measured: After medication administration up to 30 days
Evaluate effectiveness of emetine in symptomatic Covid-19 patients
Recovery without symptoms (≥3 days without symptoms) will be assessed.
Measured: After medication administration up to 30 days
Evaluate safety of emetine in symptomatic Covid-19 patients
All serious adverse events (SAEs), adverse events (AEs) will be documented and described using descriptive statistics. Adverse events will be per the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) and categorized by system organ class, accompanied by duration (in days), and start and stop dates.
Measured: Duration of the intervention and for up to 30 days post intervention
Evaluate safety of emetine in symptomatic Covid-19 patients
Record rates of drug discontinuation.
Measured: Duration of intervention up to 10 days
Secondary outcomes (7)
Virologic conversion as assessed by SARS-CoV-2 real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
We will measure the time to virologic conversion as a single outcome. Qualitative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result from nasopharyngeal swabs with cycle threshold (ct) value.
Measured: Day 0 and then at days 3, 5 and 10
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Measure interleukin-6 (IL-6) in picograms per milliliter (pg/ml) for in-patients.
Measured: Days 0 (baseline), 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Measure c-reactive protein (CRP) measure in milligrams per liter (mg/L) for in-patients
Measured: Days 0 (baseline), 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Measure serum ferritin for in-patients measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL)
Measured: Days 0 (baseline), 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Measure d-dimer for in-patients in milligrams/liter (mg/L)
Measured: Days 0 (baseline) 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention.
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Measure white blood cell (WBC) for in-patients measured per microliter (mcL)
Measured: Days 0 (baseline), 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention.
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Measure Platelet count for in-patients measured per microliter (mcL)
Measured: Days 0 (baseline), 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Jun 2023
- Study start15 May 2024
- Primary completion15 Dec 2025
- Study completion15 Dec 2025
Why it stopped: The study was terminated due to insufficient participant enrollment resulting from a lower-than-expected number of COVID-19 cases
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (8)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for COVID-19Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Johns Hopkins UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2/3
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) with placebo and intervention group
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 4 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Johns Hopkins University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Nepal Health Research Council, Bharatpur Hospital Chitwan, Stony Brook University, Rutgers University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Kunchok Dorjee, MBBS, PhD, MPH, Principal investigator, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05889793
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB00283778
- Acronym
- EVOLVE
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 23 May 2023
- Last updated
- 23 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
VEDDER, E.B. Origin and present status of the emetine treatment of amebic dysentery. JAMA. 1914;LXII (7):501-6. doi:10.1001/jama.1914.02560320001001.
Bleasel MD, Peterson GM. Emetine Is Not Ipecac: Considerations for Its Use as Treatment for SARS-CoV2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2020 Nov 27;13(12):428. doi: 10.3390/ph13120428.
PubMed 33261173Bleasel MD, Peterson GM. Emetine, Ipecac, Ipecac Alkaloids and Analogues as Potential Antiviral Agents for Coronaviruses. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2020 Mar 21;13(3):51. doi: 10.3390/ph13030051.
PubMed 32245264Jan JT, Cheng TR, Juang YP, Ma HH, Wu YT, Yang WB, Cheng CW, Chen X, Chou TH, Shie JJ, Cheng WC, Chein RJ, Mao SS, Liang PH, Ma C, Hung SC, Wong CH. Identification of existing pharmaceuticals and herbal medicines as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Feb 2;118(5):e2021579118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2021579118.
PubMed 33452205Dyall J, Coleman CM, Hart BJ, Venkataraman T, Holbrook MR, Kindrachuk J, Johnson RF, Olinger GG Jr, Jahrling PB, Laidlaw M, Johansen LM, Lear-Rooney CM, Glass PJ, Hensley LE, Frieman MB. Repurposing of clinically developed drugs for treatment of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2014 Aug;58(8):4885-93. doi: 10.1128/AAC.03036-14. Epub 2014 May 19.
PubMed 24841273Liu Q, Xia S, Sun Z, Wang Q, Du L, Lu L, Jiang S. Testing of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus replication inhibitors for the ability to block viral entry. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Jan;59(1):742-4. doi: 10.1128/AAC.03977-14. Epub 2014 Oct 20. No abstract available.
PubMed 25331705Yang S, Xu M, Lee EM, Gorshkov K, Shiryaev SA, He S, Sun W, Cheng YS, Hu X, Tharappel AM, Lu B, Pinto A, Farhy C, Huang CT, Zhang Z, Zhu W, Wu Y, Zhou Y, Song G, Zhu H, Shamim K, Martinez-Romero C, Garcia-Sastre A, Preston RA, Jayaweera DT, Huang R, Huang W, Xia M, Simeonov A, Ming G, Qiu X, Terskikh AV, Tang H, Song H, Zheng W. Emetine inhibits Zika and Ebola virus infections through two molecular mechanisms: inhibiting viral replication and decreasing viral entry. Cell Discov. 2018 Jun 5;4:31. doi: 10.1038/s41421-018-0034-1. eCollection 2018.
PubMed 29872540Mukhopadhyay R, Roy S, Venkatadri R, Su YP, Ye W, Barnaeva E, Mathews Griner L, Southall N, Hu X, Wang AQ, Xu X, Dulcey AE, Marugan JJ, Ferrer M, Arav-Boger R. Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of Low Dose Emetine against Human Cytomegalovirus. PLoS Pathog. 2016 Jun 23;12(6):e1005717. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005717. eCollection 2016 Jun.
PubMed 27336364
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Emetine for Viral Outbreaks: Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial to Evaluate Oral Emetine Against Covid-19 (EVOLVE)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05889793
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- EVOLVE / IRB00283778
- Conditions
- COVID-19
- Phase
- Phase 2/3
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: The study was terminated due to insufficient participant enrollment resulting from a lower-than-expected number of COVID-19 cases
- Enrolment
- 4 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Johns Hopkins UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Nepal Health Research Council, Bharatpur Hospital Chitwan, Stony Brook University, Rutgers University
- Study start
- 15 May 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Dec 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 5 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial (phase 2/phase 3) is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of emetine administered orally for symptomatic Covid-19 patients in patients ages 30 years and above. Participants will be asked to:
- Take Emetine 6mg orally for 10 consecutive days
- Be monitored by healthcare staff or self-monitor for daily vital signs and symptoms
- Undergo blood draws
Researchers will compare the control group given placebo medicine to assess if emetine improved the symptoms of Covid-19.
Detailed description
More than 675 million cases of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) have occurred in this ongoing pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). More than 6.8 million people have died so far, with case count and deaths cumulating every day. Despite the scale of the damage, there exists extremely limited antiviral treatment options for Covid-19. Emetine exhibits broad spectrum antiviral activity including inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 by inhibiting viral replication and protein biosynthesis. It has been have recently shown that by lowering the standard amoebicidal dose by a factor of 10, emetine can inhibit viral replication while avoiding cardiovascular toxicity. Therefore, the investigators plan to evaluate emetine's efficacy and safety for treatment of symptomatic Covid-19 in a randomized, clinical trial. Emetine, an alkaloid extracted from ipecacuanha roots, was widely used for the treatment of amoebic dysentery. Because of cardiotoxicity (cardiac dysrhythmias), emetine was replaced by metronidazole. The toxicity was unequivocally associated with high-dose emetine (60 mg/day for 10 days to achieve a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 25 µM against Entamoeba hystolytica); however, the cardiovascular side-effects were minimal or none when emetine was used for various indications in low dose (<20 mg/day). In a screening of 3000 potential compounds against SARS-CoV-2, emetine was found to have the lowest half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 4.0e-4 µM and a half maximum cytotoxicity concentration (CC50) >10 µM in Vero E6 cells providing it a high therapeutic index. Likewise, several in-vitro studies have demonstrated very low IC50 (~0.05µM) against SARS-CoV-2 for emetine. Based on this, a lower dose of emetine (6 mg/day for 10 days) has been calculated for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. The investigators hypothesize that low dose emetine will be effective and safe in the treatment of Covid-19. Extensive use of the drug in the past has documented that low dose usage avoids the cardiovascular side-effects there were present at higher doses (>20 mg per day); however, the safety has not been systematically documented in a clinical trial, a key objective of this study. The primary objective of the trial would be to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral formulation of emetine for patients diagnosed with Covid-19 in a phase 2 study to be followed up by a multicenter phase 3 study based on the preliminary results. Proven beneficial, this study has the potential to save millions of lives by providing a viable, convenient option for treatment of Covid-19. Preliminary results can provide the basis for additional research to evaluate added benefit to patients by combining emetine with other drugs. Emetine has also been shown in-vitro to have activity against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Zika, Cytomegalovirus and Ebola virus infections-this highlights a broader application for emetine beyond coronavirus infections.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, care provider, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) with placebo and intervention group
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Emetine | Active comparator | Drug: Emetine HydrochlorideParticipant takes Emetine 6mg for 10 consecutive days |
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | Drug: PlaceboParticipant takes a placebo for 10 consecutive days |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 30 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- 30 years of age or older at time of randomization
- RT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection within ≤ 10 days of the screening visit.
- In addition to confirmed RT-PCR, symptomatic Covid-19 patients with at least two or more symptoms within 7 days of the screening visit: Cough, shortness of breath, fever/chills, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, body aches, headache
- Ability to give informed consent (administered in local language)
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Asymptomatic Covid-19 patients
- Pregnant or breastfeeding woman
- Current or recent use of the study drug
- Known allergy to study drug
- Current or planned participation in another interventional trial in next 10 days.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Emetine HydrochlorideTo administer Emetine Hydrochloride 6mg orally for 10 consecutive days to evaluate the efficacy and safety of emetine for symptomatic Covid-19 patients. | Drug | Emetine |
| PlaceboParticipant takes a placebo for 10 consecutive days. | Drug | Placebo |
Primary outcome
Evaluate effectiveness of emetine in symptomatic Covid-19 patients
Time frame: After medication administration up to 30 days
Effectiveness of emetine will be assessed by a 1) composite outcome of Hospitalization, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, death
Evaluate effectiveness of emetine in symptomatic Covid-19 patients
Time frame: After medication administration up to 30 days
Recovery without symptoms (≥3 days without symptoms) will be assessed.
Evaluate safety of emetine in symptomatic Covid-19 patients
Time frame: Duration of the intervention and for up to 30 days post intervention
All serious adverse events (SAEs), adverse events (AEs) will be documented and described using descriptive statistics. Adverse events will be per the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) and categorized by system organ class, accompanied by duration (in days), and start and stop dates.
Evaluate safety of emetine in symptomatic Covid-19 patients
Time frame: Duration of intervention up to 10 days
Record rates of drug discontinuation.
7 secondary outcomes
Virologic conversion as assessed by SARS-CoV-2 real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
Time frame: Day 0 and then at days 3, 5 and 10
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Time frame: Days 0 (baseline), 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Time frame: Days 0 (baseline), 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Time frame: Days 0 (baseline), 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Time frame: Days 0 (baseline) 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention.
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Time frame: Days 0 (baseline), 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention.
Anti-inflammatory effect of emetine
Time frame: Days 0 (baseline), 3 and 7 for up to 10 days after intervention.
Results and safety
The study was stopped early (reason given: The study was terminated due to insufficient participant enrollment resulting from a lower-than-expected number of COVID-19 cases). Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Jan 2026.
- BackgroundVEDDER, E.B. Origin and present status of the emetine treatment of amebic dysentery. JAMA. 1914;LXII (7):501-6. doi:10.1001/jama.1914.02560320001001.
- Background: PubMed 33261173Bleasel MD, Peterson GM. Emetine Is Not Ipecac: Considerations for Its Use as Treatment for SARS-CoV2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2020 Nov 27;13(12):428. doi: 10.3390/ph13120428.
- Background: PubMed 32245264Bleasel MD, Peterson GM. Emetine, Ipecac, Ipecac Alkaloids and Analogues as Potential Antiviral Agents for Coronaviruses. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2020 Mar 21;13(3):51. doi: 10.3390/ph13030051.
- Background: PubMed 33452205Jan JT, Cheng TR, Juang YP, Ma HH, Wu YT, Yang WB, Cheng CW, Chen X, Chou TH, Shie JJ, Cheng WC, Chein RJ, Mao SS, Liang PH, Ma C, Hung SC, Wong CH. Identification of existing pharmaceuticals and herbal medicines as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Feb 2;118(5):e2021579118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2021579118.
- Background: PubMed 24841273Dyall J, Coleman CM, Hart BJ, Venkataraman T, Holbrook MR, Kindrachuk J, Johnson RF, Olinger GG Jr, Jahrling PB, Laidlaw M, Johansen LM, Lear-Rooney CM, Glass PJ, Hensley LE, Frieman MB. Repurposing of clinically developed drugs for treatment of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2014 Aug;58(8):4885-93. doi: 10.1128/AAC.03036-14. Epub 2014 May 19.
- Background: PubMed 25331705Liu Q, Xia S, Sun Z, Wang Q, Du L, Lu L, Jiang S. Testing of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus replication inhibitors for the ability to block viral entry. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Jan;59(1):742-4. doi: 10.1128/AAC.03977-14. Epub 2014 Oct 20. No abstract available.
- Background: PubMed 29872540Yang S, Xu M, Lee EM, Gorshkov K, Shiryaev SA, He S, Sun W, Cheng YS, Hu X, Tharappel AM, Lu B, Pinto A, Farhy C, Huang CT, Zhang Z, Zhu W, Wu Y, Zhou Y, Song G, Zhu H, Shamim K, Martinez-Romero C, Garcia-Sastre A, Preston RA, Jayaweera DT, Huang R, Huang W, Xia M, Simeonov A, Ming G, Qiu X, Terskikh AV, Tang H, Song H, Zheng W. Emetine inhibits Zika and Ebola virus infections through two molecular mechanisms: inhibiting viral replication and decreasing viral entry. Cell Discov. 2018 Jun 5;4:31. doi: 10.1038/s41421-018-0034-1. eCollection 2018.
- Background: PubMed 27336364Mukhopadhyay R, Roy S, Venkatadri R, Su YP, Ye W, Barnaeva E, Mathews Griner L, Southall N, Hu X, Wang AQ, Xu X, Dulcey AE, Marugan JJ, Ferrer M, Arav-Boger R. Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of Low Dose Emetine against Human Cytomegalovirus. PLoS Pathog. 2016 Jun 23;12(6):e1005717. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005717. eCollection 2016 Jun.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Kunchok Dorjee, MBBS, PhD, MPH principal investigator
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
2 sites in 2 countries: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2/3 study testing Emetine Hydrochloride in people with COVID-19, run by Johns Hopkins University at 2 sites in 2 countries.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in United States, Nepal. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this combined phase mean?
Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
The study was stopped early (reason given: The study was terminated due to insufficient participant enrollment resulting from a lower-than-expected number of COVID-19 cases). Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Evaluate effectiveness of emetine in symptomatic Covid-19 patients (time frame: After medication administration up to 30 days). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05889793, which also lists 8 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Jan 2026.