Chloroquine for Mild Symptomatic and Asymptomatic COVID-19
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2020-09-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
19 COVID (Coronavirus disease 2019 ) is a deadly viral disease that has been spreading around
the world for several months, and is caused by a CORONA family virus (COVID-19). Following
IN-VITRO evidence of the antiviral effect of CHLOROQUINE in CORONA viruses, this drug has
been used empirically for COVID-19 patients and is currently recommended in Israel for the
treatment of intermediate and severity disease.
The mechanism of action of chloroquine is in part by inhibiting the virus distribution, and
changing the intracellular acidity, the virus distribution site. The intracellular
chloroquine concentration is determined by a pump called PGP (permeability glycoprotein) that
removes the drug from the cell and is activated by the drug. In the treatment of malaria, the
benefit of low dosage of the drug has been shown to be effective due to the fact that the
intracellular concentration of the drug is probably higher, and therefore the logic to
examine this issue in COVID-19 treatment.
The purpose of this study is to test whether a low dose of Chloroquine will reduce the
duration of the viral shedding and prevent the disease from worsening.