HEALTH NEWS JUNE 19, 2020 / 5:17 PM / UPDATED 14 HOURS AGO

Novartis halts malaria drug trial against COVID-19 amid participant shortfall

John Miller
3 MIN READ

ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Novartis (NOVN.S) is halting its trial of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) against COVID-19 after struggling to find participants, it said on Friday, as data emerged from other studies raising doubts about its efficacy.

Novartis’ trial began in April and sought to test the drug in 440 hospitalized patients. But the project only managed to recruit a handful.

Novartis’ move follows this week’s U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to revoke emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine against COVID-19 on grounds it and a related drug, chloroquine, are unlikely to help patients.

Hydroxychloroquine, also used to treat inflammatory disorders including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, has been caught in a political debate as U.S. President Donald Trump promoted it, even though there was no scientific evidence that it helps against the new coronavirus.

Several studies of the decades-old malaria drug including in Britain were recently halted after scientists concluded it was “useless” against COVID-19.

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