Baricitinib for Long COVID-related memory and thinking problems
REVERSE-Long COVID: A Multicenter Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Immunomodulation (with Baricitinib) for Long COVID Related ADRD
Seeing if the medicine baricitinib can help adults with Long COVID who have new or worsening memory, thinking, or breathing problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11303303 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you had COVID and now have lasting problems with thinking, memory, or physical endurance, this trial will randomly give participants either baricitinib or a placebo to compare outcomes. Baricitinib is a pill that dampens specific immune signals (JAK1/2) that may drive ongoing inflammation in the brain and lungs after infection. Participants will have regular clinic visits for cognitive tests, physical function measurements, and safety checks while on the drug or placebo. The study aims to see whether reducing inflammation improves cognitive symptoms and cardiopulmonary function compared with placebo.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older with Long COVID who have new or worsening cognitive problems or cardiopulmonary symptoms after COVID-19 are the likely candidates for this trial.
Not a fit: People without Long COVID symptoms, those under 21, pregnant people, or anyone with medical reasons that make baricitinib unsafe (for example active serious infection or certain immune problems) are unlikely to benefit from joining.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce inflammation and improve thinking, memory, and physical function in people with Long COVID.
How similar studies have performed: Baricitinib is already approved for acute COVID-19 and some autoimmune diseases and has shown anti-inflammatory effects, but using it to treat Long COVID-related dementia symptoms is a relatively new and unproven approach.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ely, E Wesley — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Ely, E Wesley
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.