W.H.O. Discontinues Lopinavir and Ritonavir Testing for Covid-19 Treatment

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) announced on Saturday, July 4th, that it will discontinue its studies on lopinavir and ritonavir antivirals to treat Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus (Sars-Cov-2).

As in the case of hydroxychloroquine, the studies showed that there is no efficacy in the use of these drugs when their performance is compared with the standard treatment procedure.

The discontinuation of these studies was recommended by the Solidarity Steering Committee, a program coordinated by the W.H.O. in 21 countries, with over 5,000 hospitalized patients, with the goal of finding an effective treatment for the most serious cases of Covid-19.

According to the committee, the results of other clinical trials using the substances were also reviewed during the research and innovation conference on Covid-19 held on Wednesday and Thursday, July 1st and 2nd.

The two substances had been included in the study because they had already been licensed to treat patients with HIV.

But preliminary tests showed that, like hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir and ritonavir produce little or no reduction in mortality of hospitalized coronavirus patients when compared to the standard treatment.

There was also no strong evidence that these drugs increase mortality, according to the W.H.O. According to a statement by the organization, the British Discovery study, which is part of Solidarity, found data related to the safety of the substances, which will be published after being peer reviewed.

“This decision applies only to Solidarity’s study in hospitalized patients and does not impact the potential evaluation in other studies of hydroxychloroquine or lopinavir/ritonavir in non-hospitalized patients or as pre or post-exposure prophylaxis for Covid-19,” the text states

Solidarity’s preliminary results are now being prepared for peer-reviewed publication. The organization states that until there is sufficient evidence, the use of these treatments for any Covid-19 patient is not recommended: “The W.H.O. is concerned about reports of individuals self-medicating with chloroquine, which can lead to serious harm.”

Chloroquine was part of an initial list of substances that was to be tested by Solidarity, but never reached the testing stage, as scientists considered it to have insufficient therapeutic potential to be included in the study.

Despite contraindications and criticism from doctors and scientists, the Brazilian federal government continues to allow the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine.

The tests proceed with remdesivir substances, and by 4 PM on Saturday, July 4th, the W.H.O. had not confirmed whether the trial with lopinavir/ritonavir in combination with Interferon beta-1a would be maintained. Interferon beta-1a is used to treat multiple sclerosis.

Remdesivir, which has already been authorized by the US health agency for treating severe cases of Covid-19, was previously tested as a treatment against the Ebola virus and produced promising results in animal studies for Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which are also caused by coronaviruses.

Studies in the United States have shown positive results in the treatment of Covid-19. Its manufacturer, Gilead Sciences, opened the drug patent in 127 countries to facilitate access; however, last week the United States announced it had purchased all of Gilead’s stock of the drug manufactured in 2020.

Source: Folhapress