Coronavirus Updates: U Of M Launches COVID-19 Clinical Trial, Seeks 1,500 People With High-Risk Exposures
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The University of Minnesota announced Wednesday the launch of a clinical trial for post-exposure treatment of coronavirus (COVID-19) and needs volunteers who have had high-risk exposures to the virus.
According to the university, the trial is testing hydroxychloroquine, which is an FDA-approved medicine that has been used for the prevention and treatment of malaria. It's been available since the 1950s and is also known as Plaquenil(R).
Related: Coronavirus Resource Page
"Recent work shows that hydroxychloroquine is active in a laboratory setting against the novel SAS-CoV2 virus, and the trial is designed to see if it translates into benefits for people," the university said in a release.
Now, the trial is seeking 1,500 people who have had household contact or healthcare workers who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 disease within the past three days, and who are presently not ill/showing symptoms of COVID-19.
"In order to determine if taking the medicine hydroxychloroquine can prevent a person with exposure to the coronavirus from becoming ill or in reducing the severity of illness, the trial will provide hydroxychloroquine to half the study participants, while the other half will receive a vitamin," the university said.
If you think you may be eligible to participate in the trial, please email covid19@umn.edu for further instructions.
Again, here are the requirements for volunteering:
1. Closely exposed to a person with confirmed COVID-19 disease within three days; AND,
2. Are a household contact or a healthcare worker; AND,
3. Do not have current symptoms of COVID-19 disease.
It's the first clinical trial to determine if the medicine is effective in preventing COVID-19 in humans. The trial is led by Dr. David Boulware, MPH, a professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases.
"If effective, this may become a worldwide standard of care for helping prevent disease in other healthcare workers and people exposed," Boulware said. "Hydroxychloroquine is an off-patent, generic medicine that is inexpensive. A five-day treatment course would cost approximately $12."
The trial is national in scope. Read more here.
