Translated material
FMBA: 78% of patients with coronavirus taking the anti-malaria drug mefloquine show positive dynamics
In 78% of patients with moderate to severe course of coronavirus, who participate in a clinical trial of the antimalarial drug mefloquine, a positive trend is observed. This was reported by the Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA) of Russia.
The study is being conducted by four leading research and clinical centers of the FMBA. They are testing how safe and effective mefloquine is in treating coronavirus compared to another antimalarial drug, hydroxychloroquine.
The study involved 347 patients with coronavirus. According to preliminary results, 78% of patients with moderate to severe condition show positive clinical dynamics. All patients showed satisfactory tolerability of mefloquine.
FMBA will make reliable conclusions about the effectiveness and safety of the drug before May 20 - after a statistical analysis of the study results.
The practice of using antimalarial drugs during the current pandemic is widely practiced in China, the USA, and European countries. According to the results of foreign studies (every week new protocols are registered on the ClinialTrials.gov website), it is known that chloroquine derivatives, which are active against malaria, also have antiviral effects.
- FMBA announced the development of a coronavirus treatment regimen based on mefloquine at the end of March. Comparative clinical trials of the drug started in April.
- US President Donald Trump spoke about the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19, with which the FMBA compares mefloquine.