Clinical efficacy and safety of baloxavir marboxil in the treatment of influenza: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Purpose: The aim of this meta-analysis is to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of baloxavir with other anti-influenza agents or placebo in the treatment of influenza. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane databases and clinical registration were searched from inception until February 15 2021 for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Only phase 3 RCTs evaluating the usefulness of baloxavir in the treatment of influenza were included. Results: Three RCTs enrolling 3771 patients (baloxavir group, n = 1451; oseltamivir group, n = 1288; placebo group, n = 1032) were included. Compared with oseltamivir, baloxavir had an insignificantly shorter time to the alleviation of symptoms ( mean difference [MD], -1.29 h; 95% CI, -6.80 to 4.21; I-2 = 0%). In contrast, baloxavir had a significantly shorter time to the alleviation of symptoms than placebo (MD, -26.32 h; 95% CI, -33.78 to -18.86; I-2 = 0%). Baloxavir was associated with a significant decline in influenza virus titers and viral RNA load compared to oseltamivir and placebo. Baloxavir was associated with a lower risk of any adverse events than oseltamivir (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.69-0.98; I-2 = 0%) and placebo (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.66-0.96; I-2 = 0%). Conclusions: The findings of this meta-analysis suggested that baloxavir is superior to placebo in the treatment of influenza in both clinical outcome and virological response. Moreover, baloxavir was found to have a better virological response than oseltamivir and to be as effective as oseltamivir clinically. Compared with oseltamivir and placebo, baloxavir appears to be a relatively safe anti-influenza agent. Copyright (C) 2021, Taiwan Society of Microbiology. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.

Automated summary

Baloxavir is superior to placebo in both clinical outcome and virological response; Compared to oseltamivir, baloxavir shows better virological response; Baloxavir appears to be a relatively safe anti-influenza agent when compared with oseltamivir and placebo.