COVID-19: AIIMS Bhopal claims good results in drug trial

Bhopal, May 16 () The government-run All IndiaInstitute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhopal has beenconducting drug trials for the treatment of COVID-19, whichhave yielded some good results, a senior official claimed onSaturday.

The trials of the drug Mycobacterium W (Mw) wereconducted on COVID-19 patients at AIIMS Bhopal for the lastfew days, the official said.

"So far, three COVID-19 patients have recovered afterthe clinical trial of Mycobacterium W (Mw) at AIIMS," directorof the institute Dr Sarman Singh told .

The trials were being run for the last few days andthe results were good, as out of four patients enrolled forthe trial, three had fully recovered and discharged, he said.

Singh also informed that soon Favipiravir, a drugused in Japan, will also be used for COVID-19 treatment here.

If Mycobacterium W proves effective during theclinical trial, it will be used in the treatment of COVID-19,he said.

Mycobacterium W was used in the treatment of leprosyand recently, the Council for Scientific and IndustrialResearch (CSIR) has tied up with Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd toevaluate the effect of this medicine for faster recovery ofhospitalised COVID-19 patients, Singh said.

Drug Controller of India has granted permission toconduct tests on critically ill COVID-19 patients at threemajor hospitals in the country including AIIMS Bhopal. MASARU ARU