Colchicine, a Gout Drug, Enters RECOVERY Trial as Potential COVID-19 Treatment

A common gout (搜索)搜索该疾病 medication, colchicine查看药品详情, is now under investigation as a potential treatment for COVID-19 (搜索)搜索该疾病 in hospitalized patients as part of the University of Oxford’s RECOVERY (搜索)搜索该靶点 trial. The RECOVERY trial is the world's largest clinical trial of treatments for patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Colchicine查看药品详情, known for its anti-inflammatory effects, has been used for centuries to treat gout (搜索)搜索该疾病 and more recently, other inflammatory conditions. Researchers aim to determine if colchicine can mitigate the severe inflammatory response associated with COVID-19 (搜索)搜索该疾病, which can lead to lung damage, the need for mechanical ventilation, and death.

Trial Design and Dosage

Approximately 2,500 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (搜索)搜索该疾病 in the UK will receive colchicine查看药品详情, while another 2,500 patients will form a control group receiving standard care. The colchicine regimen involves an initial dose of 1,000 micrograms, followed by 500 micrograms every 12 hours for ten days. The primary endpoint is to assess whether colchicine reduces the chance of death after 28 days.

Rationale for Colchicine

Professor Peter Horby, an Oxford University Professor and co-chief investigator for the trial, stated, 'Colchicine查看药品详情 is an attractive drug to evaluate in the RECOVERY (搜索)搜索该靶点 trial as it is very well understood, inexpensive and widely available.' He added, 'Inflammation (caused by an over-active immune system) is a key component of severe COVID-19 (搜索)搜索该疾病, and can lead to lung damage, the need for mechanical ventilation, and death.'

Professor Martin Landray, from the Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford, who co-leads the RECOVERY (搜索)搜索该靶点 trial, says: 'Inflammation plays a major role in COVID-19 (搜索)搜索该疾病 and we’ve already shown that treatment with one anti-inflammatory drug, dexamethasone查看药品详情, can reduce deaths in the most severely ill COVID-19 patients. Colchicine查看药品详情 is very widely used to treat gout (搜索)搜索该疾病 and other inflammatory conditions such as pericarditis. By including colchicine in the RECOVERY trial, we will be able to establish whether it helps tackle the worst consequences of COVID-19.'

RECOVERY Trial Background

The RECOVERY (搜索)搜索该靶点 trial has involved over 12,000 coronavirus patients in the UK. Previous findings from the trial demonstrated that dexamethasone查看药品详情, a steroid, can reduce the risk of death by a third for seriously ill patients. The trial has also shown that hydroxychloroquine查看药品详情 and the HIV treatment combination of lopinavir-ritonavir are ineffective against COVID-19 (搜索)搜索该疾病.

Other treatments being investigated in the RECOVERY (搜索)搜索该靶点 trial include aspirin, convalescent plasma, and the Regeneron查看公司主页 antibody cocktail (REGN-COV2).