Glasgow researchers need participants for new Covid treatment study

Have you been diagnosed with Coronavirus in the last week? If so, researchers at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde need your help to test a new treatment.

The antiviral tablet is already wildly used in other parts of the world to treat flu and it's hoped it could help people in the early stages of Covid-19 from developing more severe symptoms.

Favipiravir, is produced by Fujifilm Toyama Chemicals in Japan and unlike many other treatment for COVID-19 it is being targeted at those in the early stages of the disease and must be taken within four days of a positive COVID-19 test result.

The antiviral treatment is taken in tablet form. Half the patients involved will receive the drug twice a day for 10 days alongside standard treatment, with the other half receiving standard treatment for comparison.

Prof Rob Jones, Director of the CRUK Clinical Trials Unit, Glasgow, and Chief Investigator of the study commented:

“If you have recently been diagnosed with COVID-19 and would like to contribute to ground breaking research, please get in touch. We are looking for people who have just recently been diagnosed with COVID-19 – within four days of a positive COVID-19 test result.

“We are looking to see whether this antiviral treatment will help kill off the virus and prevent more serious complications.”

Dr Janet Scott (MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research) said: “This drug is active against many viruses, it is used already for influenza in Japan. We are able to offer the trial not just to patients in hospital but also for home use. Our hope is that it will stop mild symptoms developing into serious ones.”

The study is organised by Glasgow University and supported by the Glasgow Clinical Research Facility. It is funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the University of Glasgow are leading on this research and are now recruiting more people from the community to get involved. To find out more information and see if you are eligible, visit: http://www.getafix-trial.org.uk/

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