Natco Pharma Limited has donated chloroquine phosphate tablets through its marketing partner in the US, Rising Pharmaceuticals, to support a global clinical trial.
The trial is being conducted by the CROWN Collaborative for Protecting Essential Healthcare Workers from Covid-19 virus. Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis is the clinical coordinating centre for the trial.
The CROWN ( Covid-19 Research Outcomes Worldwide Network) Collaborative is testing whether the antimalaria drug can prevent Covid-19 infection or decrease its severity in frontline health-care workers.
Hyderabad-based Natco has been supplying chloroquine phosphate tablets, a USFDA approved drug, through its marketing partner to the US since 2011.
More recently, Natco’s alternate facility in Vizag has also been approved to supply the same drug. It is indicated predominantly for the treatment of malaria.