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Study · Observational study · 2021

6 results

Efficacy Evaluation of Thymosin Alpha 1 in Non-severe Patients With COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study Based on Propensity Score Matching.

Huang C, Fei L, Xu W, Li W, Xie X, Li Q, Chen L

Frontiers in medicine23 Apr 2021Cited by 14 (Europe PMC)

PMID33968969 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC8102900 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.3389/fmed.2021.664776 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-33968969
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Summary

Objective: Thymosin alpha 1 (Thymosin-α1) is a potential treatment for patients with COVID-19. We aimed to determine the effect of Thymosin-α1 in non-severe patients with COVID-19. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 1,388 non-severe patients with COVID-19. The primary and secondary clinical outcomes were evaluated with comparisons between patients treated with or without Thymosin-α1 therapy. Results: Among 1,388 enrolled patients, 232 patients (16.7%) received both Thymosin-α1 therapy and standard therapy (Thymosin-α1 group), and 1,156 patients (83.3%) received standard therapy (control group). After propensity score matching (1:1 ratio), baseline characteristics were well-balanced between the Thymosin-α1 group and control group. The proportion of patients that progressed to severe COVID-19 is 2.17% for the Thymosin-α1 group and 2.71% for the control group (p = 0.736). The COVID-19-related mortality is 0.54% for the Thymosin-α1 group and 0 for the control group (p = 0.317). Compared with the control group, the Thymosin-α1 group had significantly shorter SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding duration (13 vs. 16 days, p = 0.025) and hospital stay (14 vs. 18 days, p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between the Thymosin-α1 group and control group in duration of symptoms (median, 4 vs. 3 days, p = 0.843) and antibiotic utilization rate (14.1% vs. 15.2%, p = 0.768). Conclusion: For non-severe patients with COVID-19, Thymosin-α1 can shorten viral RNA shedding duration and hospital stay but did not prevent COVID-19 progression and reduce COVID-19-related mortality rate.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study6

6 results from studies that gave the peptide. 6 results from people.

  1. 01HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In non-severe COVID-19, progression to severe disease did not differ between the Thymosin-α1 group (2.17%) and the control group (2.71%).

    In plain wordsIn people with mild COVID-19, thymosin α1 did not change how often the disease became severe, compared with standard care alone.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    No significant changeProgression to severe COVID-19
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Standard therapy alone
    Outcome group
    Intensive care and hospital outcomes · Infection
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    Progression to severe COVID-19
    2.17%
    Thymosin-α1 group
    Progression to severe COVID-19
    2.71%
    control group

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The proportion of patients that progressed to severe COVID-19 is 2.17% for the Thymosin-α1 group and 2.71% for the control group (p = 0.736).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We retrospectively enrolled 1,388 non-severe patients with COVID-19.
    Summary · context
    Among 1,388 enrolled patients, 232 patients (16.7%) received both Thymosin-α1 therapy and standard therapy (Thymosin-α1 group), and 1,156 patients (83.3%) received standard therapy (control group).
  2. 02HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In non-severe COVID-19, COVID-19-related mortality did not differ between the Thymosin-α1 group (0.54%) and the control group (0).

    In plain wordsIn people with mild COVID-19, thymosin α1 did not change COVID-19 death rates, compared with standard care alone.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    No significant changeCOVID-19-related mortality
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Standard therapy alone
    Outcome group
    Mortality · Infection
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    COVID-19-related mortality
    0.54%
    Thymosin-α1 group
    COVID-19-related mortality
    0%
    control group

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The COVID-19-related mortality is 0.54% for the Thymosin-α1 group and 0 for the control group (p = 0.317).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We retrospectively enrolled 1,388 non-severe patients with COVID-19.
    Summary · context
    Among 1,388 enrolled patients, 232 patients (16.7%) received both Thymosin-α1 therapy and standard therapy (Thymosin-α1 group), and 1,156 patients (83.3%) received standard therapy (control group).
  3. 03HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In non-severe COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding was significantly shorter in the Thymosin-α1 group (13 days) than in the control group (16 days).

    In plain wordsIn people with mild COVID-19, virus RNA was detected for fewer days with thymosin α1 than with standard care alone.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseSARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding duration
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Standard therapy alone
    Outcome group
    Antiviral activity · Infection
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    RNA shedding duration
    13 days
    Thymosin-α1 group
    RNA shedding duration
    16 days
    control group

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Compared with the control group, the Thymosin-α1 group had significantly shorter SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding duration (13 vs. 16 days, p = 0.025) and hospital stay (14 vs. 18 days, p < 0.001).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We retrospectively enrolled 1,388 non-severe patients with COVID-19.
    Summary · context
    Among 1,388 enrolled patients, 232 patients (16.7%) received both Thymosin-α1 therapy and standard therapy (Thymosin-α1 group), and 1,156 patients (83.3%) received standard therapy (control group).
  4. 04HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In non-severe COVID-19, hospital stay was significantly shorter in the Thymosin-α1 group (14 days) than in the control group (18 days).

    In plain wordsIn people with mild COVID-19, hospital stays were shorter with thymosin α1 than with standard care alone.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseHospital stay
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Standard therapy alone
    Outcome group
    Intensive care and hospital outcomes · Infection
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    Hospital stay
    14 days
    Thymosin-α1 group
    Hospital stay
    18 days
    control group

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Compared with the control group, the Thymosin-α1 group had significantly shorter SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding duration (13 vs. 16 days, p = 0.025) and hospital stay (14 vs. 18 days, p < 0.001).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We retrospectively enrolled 1,388 non-severe patients with COVID-19.
    Summary · context
    Among 1,388 enrolled patients, 232 patients (16.7%) received both Thymosin-α1 therapy and standard therapy (Thymosin-α1 group), and 1,156 patients (83.3%) received standard therapy (control group).
  5. 05HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In non-severe COVID-19, the duration of symptoms did not differ significantly between the Thymosin-α1 group (4 days) and the control group (3 days).

    In plain wordsIn people with mild COVID-19, thymosin α1 did not change how long symptoms lasted, compared with standard care alone.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    No significant changeDuration of symptoms
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Standard therapy alone
    Outcome group
    Intensive care and hospital outcomes · Infection
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    Duration of symptoms
    4 days
    Thymosin-α1 group
    Duration of symptoms
    3 days
    control group

    Source sentences

    Summary
    No statistically significant difference was found between the Thymosin-α1 group and control group in duration of symptoms (median, 4 vs. 3 days, p = 0.843)
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We retrospectively enrolled 1,388 non-severe patients with COVID-19.
    Summary · context
    Among 1,388 enrolled patients, 232 patients (16.7%) received both Thymosin-α1 therapy and standard therapy (Thymosin-α1 group), and 1,156 patients (83.3%) received standard therapy (control group).
  6. 06HumanObservational studyEfficacy outcome

    In non-severe COVID-19, antibiotic utilization did not differ significantly between the Thymosin-α1 group (14.1%) and the control group (15.2%).

    In plain wordsIn people with mild COVID-19, thymosin α1 did not change how often antibiotics were used, compared with standard care alone.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    No significant changeAntibiotic utilization rate
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Standard therapy alone
    Outcome group
    Intensive care and hospital outcomes · Infection
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    Antibiotic utilization rate
    14.1%
    Thymosin-α1 group
    Antibiotic utilization rate
    15.2%
    control group

    Source sentences

    Summary
    No statistically significant difference was found between the Thymosin-α1 group and control group in duration of symptoms (median, 4 vs. 3 days, p = 0.843) and antibiotic utilization rate (14.1% vs. 15.2%, p = 0.768).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    We retrospectively enrolled 1,388 non-severe patients with COVID-19.
    Summary · context
    Among 1,388 enrolled patients, 232 patients (16.7%) received both Thymosin-α1 therapy and standard therapy (Thymosin-α1 group), and 1,156 patients (83.3%) received standard therapy (control group).

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 3Current

    10 Oct 2026, 08:55 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 2

    9 Oct 2026, 03:03 UTC

    Study data updated · source update from Europe PMC

  3. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 03:02 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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