RDH to take part in nationwide drug trials aimed at stopping progress of COVID-19 in patients

THE Royal Darwin Hospital is set to take part in a nationwide trial of drugs typically used to treat HIV, malaria and arthritis on patients with COVID-19, to see if they can prevent the patients’ health deteriorating to the point of needing to use a ventilator or go into ICU.

The Royal Darwin Hospital is set to take part in a nationwide trial of drugs typically used to treat HIV, malaria and arthritis on patients with COVID-19, to see if they can prevent the patients’ health deteriorating to the point of needing to use a ventilator or go into ICU. Picture: IStock

THE Royal Darwin Hospital is set to take part in a nationwide trial of drugs typically used to treat HIV, malaria and arthritis on patients with COVID-19, to see if they prevent the patients’ health deteriorating to the point of needing to use a ventilator or go into ICU.

The trial will take place in 70 hospitals across each state and territory in Australia, as well as 12 in New Zealand, testing patients who are within 12 days of displaying symptoms.

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Co-director of infectious diseases at Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospitals Dr Jane Davies said the two drugs – lopinavir/ritonavir, which is currently used to treat HIV, and hydroxychloroquine, used to treat arthritis and prevent and treat malaria – have shown promising signs of working to fight the virus in test tubes.

“Both have antiviral effects against the virus that causes COVID-19,” Dr Davies said.

“They stop the virus replicating and stop it in its tracks.

“What we don’t know is if that translates to effectiveness in humans.”

Dr Davies said they have not been able to start the drug trial on NT patients yet due to the low numbers of COVID-19 cases.

“We’re actually really happy about that and if that means we never enrol anyone in the trial, we’re okay with that,”

“We wanted to get everything in place anyway.

“Research has never been more important or more crucial.”

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Director of the Doherty Institute – which is leading the nationwide trial – Professor Sharon Lewin said if the drugs are effective in fighting the virus, they could also potentially be used to prevent it.

“If it’s working as an antiviral, it could potentially prevent you from becoming infected – as it does with HIV,” she said.

The trial has begun recruiting 2000 patients accross Australia and New Zealand to take place in the trial over 12 to 18 months.