India to participate in WHO's COVID-19 'solidarity trial'

India will participate in the WHO's multi-country "solidarity trial" for developing potential treatments and drugs for COVID-19, apex health research body Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said.

New Delhi: With coronavirus wreaking havoc across the globe including India, a therapeutic trial for Covid-19 is on the cards.

The Indian Council Of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Friday that it will collaborate with the World Health Organization for "public health emergency SOLIDARITY TRIAL - An international randomised trial of additional treatments for COVID-19 in hospitalised patients".

"ICMR will collaborate with the World Health Organization (WHO) for public health emergency 'SOLIDARITY TRIAL- An international randomised trial of additional treatments for COVID-19 in hospitalised patients'," the ICMR said in a statement.

The trial will be coordinated in India by Dr. Sheela Godbole, who is a scientist at ICMR's National AIDS Research Institute, Pune.

Read:PM not addressing outbreak pressers like other leaders: Chavan

As on late Friday, India had 2,322 active cases of Covid-19 and at least 62 deaths due to the disease.

The ICMR is also working with the department of biotechnology, department of science and technology and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 and diagnostic kits.

(With inputs from IANS and PTI)