DOH sees PH clinical trial for Avigan starting July

Maria Rosario Vergeire

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) plans to start the clinical trial of the Japanese flu drug Avigan as a treatment for COVID-19 by the second week of July. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Tuesday said the DOH was just waiting for clearance for the trial from its ethics committee so that the drug could be issued regulatory clearance by the Food and Drug Administration and be given to COVID-19 patients.

“Hopefully, by the second or third week of July we can already start with the Avigan trial,” Vergeire said.

Japan test continues

Earlier, the Japanese government committed to send to the Philippines a supply of Avigan enough for 100 patients.

In late May, reports said the Japanese government would continue testing Avigan as a treatment for COVID-19 despite the lack of evidence of its efficacy as a treatment for the severe respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Last week, the World Health Organization stopped using in its “Solidarity Trial” the antimalarial hydroxychloroquine after studies showed its use did “not result in the reduction of mortality of hospitalized COVID-19 patients when compared with standard of care.”

The Philippines, a participant in the Solidarity Trial, also stopped using hydroxychloroquine, Vergeire said.

Currently, 330 Filipino COVID-19 patients enrolled in the trial, which is also testing the efficacy of three other drugs — remdesivir, lopinavir, and ritonavir and interferon — as treatment for the coronavirus disease.