Efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon-α2b in moderate COVID-19: a phase 3, randomized, comparator-controlled, open-label study

•Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).•Interferons have been shown to be crucial for treating SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19.•There is an urgent need to develop effective therapy for COVID-19 to battle the pandemic.•This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon-α2b in patients with moderate COVID-19.•Pegylated interferon represents a viable treatment option and can limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2.