Pharmacy

Hope with new drug in the treatment of Covid-19- Proxalutamide

Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Pharmacy Dean Prof. Dr. Yasemin Yazan, stated that in the treatment of Covid-19, Proxalutamide could be the new hope.

Stating that the drug proxalutamide is still used in the treatment of breast and prostate cancer cases, Yazan noted that in addition to being used here, its use in relation to the treatment of Covid-19 is being investigated.

Stating that the drug in question was initially used upon 588 patients in Brazil with severe respiratory symptoms, Prof. Dr. Yazan went on to say, "The research was a multi-center (12 clinical) study, initiated on 2nd February, 2021, which is planned to end on 22nd April, 2021".

Yazan stated that the patients have been divided in to two groups, with one given 300mg of proxalutamide once a day in treatment within the first 48 hours of hospitalization, and the other group given a control product once a day, with the same treatment protocol applied.

Prof. Dr. Yazan also noted that the data obtained at the end of the 14-day study will be evaluated on the scale of the World Health Organization.

According to an interim report that was released on 12th March 2021, Yazan pointed out that at the end of the 14 days, the mortality rate in those patients who received the proxalutamide treatment was 3.7%, while the mortality rate was 47.6% in the control group, “Therefore, it was stated that there was a 92% reduction in the inpatient mortality. It was also reported that by the end of the 5th day, 89.1% of those who received the proxalutamide treatment were discharged from hospital”.

Advising that on 5th March 2021, proxalutamide was approved by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a 'New Drug in Review' in the treatment of male patients with Covid-19, Prof. Dr. Yazan shared that it is expected to be on the market soon.

Noting that the study does have some limitations, Yazan explained that the drug in question can be considered as an 'emergency medicine', like all other existing Covid-19 drugs.