Federal Medical Biological Agency plans to start testing Covid-19 'antidote' on volunteers before yearend - Agency head Skvortsova
MOSCOW. Dec 30 (Interfax) - The Federal Medical Biological Agency plans to start testing its Covid-19 drug on volunteers before the end of this year, Agency head Veronika Skvortsova said.
"This is the first etiotropic drug, which directly impacts the virus; this is practically an antidote against the coronavirus infection. Preclinical trials are over; first of all, they have proven that the drug is completely safe as it does not impact the human system and immunity. On the other hand [the trials] showed high efficacy, which exceeds 99%," Skvortsova said at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
A dossier has been prepared for seeking a clinical trial permit, Skvortsova said. "We are hoping to accomplish that before the new year," she said.
If the clinical trials are successful, that would be the world's first Covid-19 drug, Skvortsova said. "If the clinical trials confirm the drug's efficacy, that would be the first safe and effective direct-action antiviral drug, which so far has no analogues in the world," she said.
The Federal Medical Biological Agency has developed another drug for the prevention and suppression of the cytokine storm (the immunity response, which damages human tissues) in the most severe Covid-19 cases.
"The drug has passed clinical trials and is undergoing the last stage of its registration," Skvortsova said.