The FDA has authorized a phase 3 clinical trial examining the safety and efficacy of tocilizumab plus standard care in patients hospitalized with COVID-19…
PARIS (Reuters)—Sanofi SA will be able to provide millions of doses of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for patients with the illness caused by the novel coronavirus if the old malaria drug proves successful in clinical trials, its chief executive tells Reuters on Thursday. Paul Hudson, who became CEO of the French drugmaker in September, said in an…
April 1 (Reuters)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and related chloroquine are in shortage due to a surge in demand because of the coronavirus pandemic. The drugs, which have been tried with some success to treat the illness caused by the virus, were added to the agency’s website that lists…
(Reuters)—Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. have expanded a clinical trial of their rheumatoid arthritis drug Kevzara (sarilumab) as a coronavirus treatment to patients outside the U.S. The companies said enrolments for the mid-to-late stage trial of sarilumab, an immune-system modifying drug known as a monoclonal antibody, have now started in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Canada…
After a study investigated if hydroxycholoroquine (HCQ) benefits COVID-19 patients, the drug—used to treat SLE and RA patients—began running out in pharmacies around the U.S. ACR leaders have asked the FDA to increase monitoring of the HCQ supply…
(Reuters)—U.S. drugmakers Eli Lilly and Co. and Bristol Myers Squibb said they are delaying the start of new clinical trials in part to free up doctors and healthcare facilities to deal with the surge in patients infected with the new coronavirus. Lilly and Bristol are the biggest drugmakers yet to announce clinical trial delays in…
March 25 (Reuters)—CVS Health said on Wednesday its pharmacy benefit management (PBM) unit was laying out measures to prevent the stockpiling of malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, which is being tested as a potential treatment for the coronavirus. The company said it was also setting up limits on the use of azithromycin, a protease inhibitor and albuterol…
March 23 (Reuters)—Roche Holding AG said on Monday it has received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration‘s clearance to test its rheumatoid arthritis treatment on patients hospitalized with severe pneumonia caused by the coronavirus. The company said it was beginning a late-stage study to test the drug in what would be the first well-controlled study…
A study investigating sarilumab’s effects on patients with COVID-19 has begun in New York. The treatment blocks IL-6, which may play a role in the respiratory distress caused by the virus…