India begins global solidarity trial for treatment of COVID-19

India has participated in the World Health Organisation's (WHO) 'solidarity trial' for a potential treatment for COVID-19. "Solidarity" is an international clinical trial to help find an effective treatment for COVID-19, launched by the WHO.

New Delhi: India has begun the World Health Organisation (WHO's) global solidarity trial for treatment of COVID-19 by recruiting patients affected by the pandemic across the country.

"The trial has begun. The required regulatory and ethical approval have already been obtained and clinical trial sites have started to recruit patients in the trial. Till now total 9 sites have been approved," said Dr Sheela Godbole, senior scientist, National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) and national coordinator for the solidarity trial in India.

"The ICMR-NARI is the national coordination site for the trial in India. Four potential antiviral agents including Remdesivir, Chloroquine/ Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir-Ritonavir and Lopinavir-Ritonavir with Interferon (b1a) are to be evaluated in the trial," said ICMR DG Dr Balram Bhargava.

It may be mentioned here that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has fast-tracked the roll of the global solidarity trial launched by the World Health Organisation to help in finding an effective treatment for COVID-19.

Solidarity is an international clinical trial to compare four treatment options against standard of care to assess the relative effectiveness against COVID-19. By enrolling patients in multiple countries, the solidarity trial aims to rapidly discover whether any of the drugs slow disease progression or improve survival. This initiative provides for both speed and scale.

The ICMR said that the solidarity trial provides simplified procedures to enable even overloaded hospitals to participate. Over 100 countries have requested participation to find effective therapeutics as soon as possible, via the trial.

The participation of multiple clinical trial units and hospitals in multiple countries will ensure adequate enrollment of participants in the shortest possible time.

"This will help fastrack identification of correct treatment options for COVID-19 disease, " the ICMR said.

WHO's India representative Dr Henk Bekedam said, "We congratulate the Government of India particularly ICMR for joining the global solidarity trial. Through this collaboration, Indian researchers and Institutions will participate in a global initiative to find effective treatment options for COVID-19. India plays a critical role in both research as well as in manufacturing once trials conclude successfully. WHO India is extending the required support to conduct the trial in India."