International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious DiseasesOct 19, 2026

Pirfenidone XR treatment for COVID-19 and its possible impact on long-COVID in a controlled trial

Long Covid Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Oct 20, 2026

Abstract

Safety and efficacy of extended-release pirfenidone (pirfenidone-XR) for COVID-19 treatment are under evaluation.

Pirfenidone-XR is an anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic agent.
The evaluation focuses on both acute and long-term effects of COVID-19.
Preliminary assessments may indicate its potential as an early treatment option.

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