New Zealand researchers are leading major clinical trials to test drugs for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
The three trials are being led by the Medical Research Institute with almost $1 million of funding from the state-run Health Research Council of New Zealand.
The first trial will test 16 drugs, including hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and steroids, on thousands of patients in intensive care with COVID-19-related pneumonia, across 15 countries.
Trial co-leader, Auckland City Hospital Intensive Care specialist Dr Colin McArthur, said because of this country's involvement, New Zealand patients will receive treatment that is likely to be more effective.
"It allows us to evaluate several treatments at the same time, in the same patient, combining the results from around the world, then use this to influence care for future patients, to ensure they too are more likely to receive the best treatment regime available.
"We can quickly drop treatments if they are shown to be less effective than others or worse than standard care, and add others to the study over time if need be," Dr MrArthur said.
In the second trial, the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine - hailed prematurely as a cure by the US president Donald Trump - will be given to 70 people with the virus in Wellington and Auckland who do not require hospital treatment.
The volunteer patients will be required to document their symptoms for 28 days.
Researchers are looking to see if it prevents the virus from spreading to their lungs and other organs.
This clinical trial will begin if there is an increase in the rate of COVID-19 infections in this country later in the year.
Some frontline healthworkers will receive a weekly dose of the same drug for the third trial, to see if it's effective as a preventative treatment.
Like the second trial, it will only start if the number of cases of COVID-19 increases in New Zealand over the next few months.
Lead investigator and Wellington Hospital ICU specialist Dr Paul Young said the trial is believed to be the first of its kind.
"In Italy we've seen COVID-19 completely overwhelm the healthcare system, stressing how important it is for all countries to have frontline health workers fit and able to meet demand, both now and during future surges of the virus," Dr Young said.
Medical Research Institute director Dr Richard Beasley said the subsequent findings would help guide New Zealand's pandemic response.
"The firm intent is that because of the international collaborations ... we will have firm data that will guide management in New Zealand well before the pandemic has finished."
The trials will allow researchers to test the disease across the spectrum of severity, from mild disease through to critically-ill patients, he said.
"The clinical trials will assess multiple potential therapeutic agents, including hydroxychloroquine, one of a number of drugs gaining media attention as a potential treatment for COVID-19.
"These grants recognise the importance of both international collaboration and the timely need to protect our healthcare workers on the frontline of this crisis".
Dr Beasley said the Health Research Council funding recognised the importance of international collaboration and the need to protect frontline healthcare workers.
RNZ
