WHO recommends two new drugs to treat Covid-19
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended two new drugs for Covid-19, providing yet more options for treating the disease
The extent to which these medicines will save lives depends on how widely available and affordable they will be. The first drug, baricitinib, is strongly recommended for patients with severe or critical Covid-19. It is part of a class of drugs called Janus kinase inhibitors that suppress the overstimulation of the immune system. WHO recommends that it is given with corticosteroids.
WHO has also conditionally recommended the use of a monoclonal antibody drug, sotrovimab, for treating mild or moderate Covid-19 in patients who are at high risk of hospitalisation. This includes patients who are older, immunocompromised, having underlying conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, and those unvaccinated.
Based on evidence from seven trials
The panel of experts developing the guidelines also looked at two other drugs for severe and critical Covid-19: ruxolitinib and tofacitinib. Given their uncertain effects, WHO made a conditional recommendation against their use.
The recommendations, forming the eighth update of WHO’s living guidelines on therapeutics and Covid-19, are based on evidence from seven trials involving over 4,000 patients with non-severe, severe, and critical Covid-19.
WHO is in discussions with manufacturers to secure global supply capacity and equitable and sustainable access to the newly recommended therapeutics. The two newly recommended drugs have been invited for WHO Prequalification, which assesses the quality, efficacy, and safety of priority health products to increase access in lower income countries.
In December, WHO issued an emergency use listing for Covid-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid, following its assessment and approval by the European Medicines Agency.