Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42616033›Full record

Trial reportJournal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society2026

A Phase 3 Study of Ensitrelvir in Japanese Participants Aged 6-11 Years with SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Takashi Nakano, Hiroyuki Moriuchi, Isao Miyairi, Takumi Imamura, Maria Matsumoto, Yuko Tsuge, Takeki Uehara

Abstract readRandomized Controlled TrialClinical Trial, Phase IIIMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Takashi NakanoDepartment of Pediatrics, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan.
Hiroyuki MoriuchiNational Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
Isao MiyairiDepartment of Pediatrics, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.ORCID 0000-0003-3886-9089
Takumi ImamuraDrug Development and Regulatory Science Division, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
Maria MatsumotoDrug Development and Regulatory Science Division, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
Yuko TsugeDrug Development and Regulatory Science Division, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
Takeki UeharaDrug Development and Regulatory Science Division, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-5853-9426

Funding

Shionogi & Co., Ltd.
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChildren aged <12 years with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have limited treatment options; currently approved oral antivirals are restricted by age or bodyweight. We evaluated the safety and plasma concentration-time profiles and exploratory efficacy of ensitrelvir, a once-daily oral 3C-like protease inhibitor, in children with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in Japan.

methodsThis phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled study randomized (2:1) participants aged 6 to <12 years presenting ≤72 h after COVID-19 onset to receive ensitrelvir (bodyweight-based dosing) or placebo once daily for 5 days. Primary endpoints were safety and pharmacokinetics. Secondary endpoints included change in viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) and time to resolution (TTR) of key COVID-19 symptoms (stuffy or runny nose and cough) plus fever.

resultsOf 117 randomized participants (median age 10 years), 78 received ensitrelvir and 39 received placebo. Ensitrelvir was well tolerated with no new safety concerns. Plasma concentration-time profiles were similar across bodyweight categories (20 to <30, 30 to <40, and ≥40 kg). Ensitrelvir reduced viral RNA vs placebo on Day 4, by approximately 1.0 log10 copies/mL (95% CI, -1.45 to -0.47). Median TTR of key COVID-19 symptoms was 140.5 h with ensitrelvir and 146.2 h with placebo (median difference -5.7 h [95% CI, -73.6 to 43.4 h]).

conclusionsIn children aged 6 to <12 years with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 treated with ensitrelvir, we observed a favorable safety profile, adult-matched plasma concentration-time profile, and a greater reduction in viral RNA vs placebo. Ensitrelvir represents a potential treatment option for underserved pediatric patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. CLINICAL

trial registrationJapan Registry of Clinical Trials, jRCT2031230140 (https://jrct.mhlw.go.jp/en-latest-detail/jRCT2031230140).

Indexed as

Antiviral AgentsCOVID-19COVID-19 Drug TreatmentChildDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansIndazolesJapanMaleRNA, ViralSARS-CoV-2Treatment OutcomeTriazinesTriazolesAntiviral AgentsensitrelvirIndazolesRNA, ViralTriazinesTriazolesensitrelvirJapanpediatric COVID-19pharmacokineticsSARS-CoV-2 3CL protease inhibitor

Identifiers

PMID42616033
PMCPMC13526401

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.