By Lerato Ndlovu
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the next phase in its Solidarity trial: Solidarity PLUS which will roll out to 52 countries, to test three new drugs in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
The three therapies were selected by an independent expert panel and donated for the trial by their manufacturers for their potential in reducing the risk of death in hospitalised COVID-19 patients.
Artesunate used for severe malaria, Imatinib for certain cancers, and Infliximab for diseases of the immune system such as Crohn’s Disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said finding effective and accessible therapeutics for the pandemic remains a critical need for the world.
“Finding more effective and accessible therapeutics for COVID-19 patients remains a critical need, and WHO is proud to lead this global effort
“I would like to thank the participating governments, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, clinicians and patients, who have come together to do this in true global solidarity.”
Previously, four drugs were evaluated by the trial. The results showed that Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir and Interferon had little or no effect on hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
The three drugs to be introduced for trial will be administered differently: Artesunate in the trial will be administered intravenously for 7 days using the same dosage used for treating severe malaria, the WHO COVID-19 Therapeutics Advisory Group recommended evaluating the anti-inflammatory properties of artesunate.
Imatinib is used to treat certain cancers. In the trial, it will be administered orally, once daily, for 14 days using the standard maintenance dosage used for patients with haematological malignancies.
A randomized clinical trial performed in the Netherlands reported that imatinib might confer clinical benefit in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, in the absence of safety issues.
Infliximab is used to treat diseases of the immune system, in the trial it will be administered intravenously as a single doses is used for patients with Crohn’s Disease.
