DOH: Five COVID-19 patients complete Avigan clinical trials

MANILA, Philippines — Five COVID-19 patients have completed clinical trials for Japanese anti-flu drug Avigan, the Department of Health (DOH) announced Monday.

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the five patients were among the 16 who have enlisted for the trials as of December 7.

“As of December 7, may 16 participants na recruit, na-screen, na-enroll doon sa study natin. Meron tayong nine na active participants, kung saan five already completed the trials while 2 have withdrawn,” she said in a virtual media forum.

(As of December 7, we have recruited 16 participants who were screened and enrolled in the study. We have nine active participants, wherein five have already completed the trials while two have withdrawn.)

The study sites for the Avigan trials are the Philippine General Hospital, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Hospital, and Sta. Ana Hospital.

“Ngayon, patuloy pa rin ang pagre-recruit natin ng mga pasyente because we need more than, I think, 100 plus na ngayon ang ating tinatayang participants for the Avigan trials because of the revision of the protocol,” Vergeire added.

(Right now, the recruitment of patients is ongoing because we need more than 100 plus participants for the Avigan trials because of the revision of the protocol.)

In November, the DOH said that the recruitment protocol for the Avigan clinical trials in the Philippines has been eased to enlist more patients after authorities noted the difficulty in enrolling participants.

The revised protocol now allows non-severe COVID-19 patients, those with or without pneumonia, and those not on high-flow oxygen support to participate in the clinical tests.

KGA