Ivermectin shows promise in treatment of COVID-19 patients: icddr,b

The application of the anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin in the treatment has shown promising results, according to a study conducted by icddr,b.

Hospitalised patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms, who were administered the drug, subsequently returned negative results in RT-PCR test for the illness, the health research organisation said in a seminar on Monday.

But the icddr,b pointed out the results were from a small-scale study and extensive research is still needed before the drug can be recommended for wider use in the treatment of coronavirus patients.

Dhaka Medical College Hospital's Prof Ahmedul Kabir, also member secretary of its Treatment Protocol Committee, believes the drug should not be used to treat coronavirus patients yet, although it may be added to the National Guidelines for Clinical Trials.

Wasif Ahmed Khan, a senior researcher at icddr,b, presented the main findings of the study at the seminar.

The study was conducted by the icddr,b from Jun 17 to Sept 18 at the Kurmitola General Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Mugda General Hospital.

During the study period, 58 of 22 patients were administered 12 milligrams of Ivermectin orally for five days. Meanwhile, 23 others were given the antibiotic Doxycycline in tandem with a single dose of Ivermectin (200 mg on the first day and 100 mg twice a day for 4 days) and another 23 were given placebo during the randomised trial.

According to the icddr,b, 77 per cent of the patients who took Ivermectin tested negative for the illness in the RTPCR test within 14 days.

Meanwhile, 61 percent of the trialists who were administered Ivermectin along with Doxycycline and 30 percent who received a placebo also recovered from the illness.

Among them, recoveries were made by 18 percent of the patients, who were only given Ivermectin from the third day of medication, 3 percent who were given Ivermectin and Doxycycline and another 3 percent who were given a placebo. The recovery rate jumped to 50 percent, 30 percent and 13 percent, respectively, on the seventh day.

The study's findings were published by the International Journal of Infectious Diseases on Dec 2, according to the icddr,b.