WHO stops clinical trials for interferon, makes acalabrutinib official

by: Rowena Joy Flores

The Department of Health (DOH) said the World Health Organization (WHO) stopped clinical trials for the drug interferon after disappointing results, October 26.

DOH undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media forum that the drug failed to reduce mortality rate among COVID-19 patients. The interferon, a medicine used to treat cancer, was the third drug removed from the treatment.

“Official na yung acalabrutinib, dumating na po yung doses natin last Monday,” said Vergeire. Acalabrutinib is a drug used to treat mantle cell lymphoma.

(Acalabrutinib is now officially added to the clinical trials, the doses came last Monday.)

She also said that lab-created proteins called “monoclonal antibodies” will be included in the WHO’s clinical trials. The WHO will continue to study remdesivir, an antiviral drug, for more information, data, and accurate findings.

The WHO announced that they will start the solidarity trial on vaccines by December 2020. Vergeire added that the sites and other details will be announced this week.

Prior reports stated that President Rodrigo Duterte said the vaccines from Russia and China will be prioritized. While arrangements are currently being made for the Gamaleya vaccine from Russia to be represented by the Contract Research Organization (CRO), Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine from China will be reviewed if it is ready to proceed to the clearance stage of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“For Sinovac, alam po natin na ito’y nakadaan na sa Vaccine Experts Panel. Magmimeet na ho ang ating mga experts ngayon on vaccines with the Ethics Review Board para pag-usapan nila kung maaari nang mag-move forward and Sinovac dun po sa clearance naman or process of FDA,” Vergeire said.

(For Sinovac, we know that it already went through the Vaccine Experts Panel. Our experts on vaccines will meet with the Ethics Review Board to talk about whether the Sinovac can proceed to the clearance or process of the FDA.)

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