Pharma Insider: ‘First Data From Clinical Studies’ Indicates ‘Hydroxychloroquine Kills the Coronavirus’
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The CEO of Novartis is giving the public a reason to be hopeful during the pandemic.
Novartis Chief Executive Vas Narasimhan has announced that there is preliminary evidence showing that “hydroxychloroquine kills the coronavirus.”
Narasimhan made the announcement to Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung on Sunday, as he was touting the ability of his pharmaceutical corporation to develop medicines to stop the pandemic. They have pledged to donate 130 million doses of hydroxychloroquine as soon as the medicine is approved for widespread use.
“Pre-clinical studies in animals as well as the first data from clinical studies show that hydroxychloroquine kills the coronavirus,” Narasimhan said to the newspaper.
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“We’re working with Swiss hospitals on possible treatment protocols for the clinical use of the drug, but it’s too early to say anything definitively,” he added.
Narasimhan said that medicines such as the cancer drug Jakavi, multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya and fever drug Ilaris are being studied to see if they can be effective in treating coronavirus as well.