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An anti-inflammatory drug widely used to treat gout and other conditions is the latest to be added to a large-scale trial in the UK that is investigating potential treatments for the coronavirus.
Researchers leading the COVID-19 Therapy Randomized Evaluation Trial (RECOVERY) said colchicine will be tested in hospitalized coronavirus patients.
“Colchicine is an attractive drug to evaluate in the RECOVERY trial as it is very well understood, inexpensive and widely available,” Professor Peter Horby, co-lead investigator of the RECOVERY trial, said in a news release. “If it works, it would be another COVID-19 treatment that could be used immediately around the world, even in the poorest countries.”
According to Reuters, colchicine costs about $ 124 for 30 capsules.
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In addition to gout, the drug is already approved to treat inflammatory conditions like pericarditis. According to the trial organizers, inflammation is a factor in severe cases of COVID-19, which can lead to lung damage, the need for ventilators and even death.
“Inflammation plays an important role in COVID-19 and we have already shown that treatment with an anti-inflammatory drug, dexamethasone, can reduce deaths in the most severely ill COVID-19 patients,” said Professor Martin Landray, co- RECOVERY leader said in the press release. “Colchicine is widely used to treat gout and other inflammatory conditions like pericarditis. By including colchicine in the RECOVERY trial, we will be able to establish whether it helps to address the worst consequences of COVID-19. “
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The drug will be administered to up to 2,500 patients enrolled in the trial in doses of 1,000 micrograms initially and then 500 micrograms every 12 hours for up to 10 days. The trial will assess mortality after 28 days and also the impact on hospital stay and the need for ventilation, according to the press release.
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The drug joins several other treatments that are being investigated in the RECOVERY trial, including tocilizumab, convalescent plasma, Regeneron, and aspirin. Researchers say they have already closed enrollment for azithromycin.
