Covid-19: WHO discontinues hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir trials
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that it is discontinuing the use of both hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir in its Covid-19 treatment trials
After having suspended the trial of hydroxychloroquine (a drug used to treat malaria) back in May and then resuming it again in early June, WHO has now announced that it will be discontinuing its trial of hydroxychloroquine to treat hospitalised Covid-19 patients. It will also discontinue its trial of lopinavir/ritonavir (an HIV treatment) to treat hospitalised Covid-19 patients.
According to a statement issued by WHO, results garnered by the International Steering Committee found that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce ‘little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalised Covid-19 patients when compared to standard of care’. As such, solidarity trial investigators are to interrupt the trials with immediate effect.
“WHO today accepted the recommendation from the Solidarity Trial’s International Steering Committee to discontinue the trial’s hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir arms. The Solidarity Trial was established by WHO to find an effective Covid-19 treatment for hospitalised patients,” WHO’s statement read. “For each of the drugs, the interim results do not provide solid evidence of increased mortality.”
WHO added: “This decision applies only to the conduct of the Solidarity trial in hospitalised patients and does not affect the possible evaluation in other studies of hydroxychloroquine or lopinavir/ritonavir in non-hospitalised patients or as pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis for Covid-19.”