The World Health Organization (WHO) is going to conduct a clinical trial across 52 countries to study three anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The drugs include artesunate, imatinib and infliximab. The therapies were selected by an independent expert panel for their potential in decreasing the risk of death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, revealed the health body in a statement on the Solidarity PLUS trial.

Artesunate is used for the treatment of severe malaria, imatinib is used to treat some cancers, and infliximab is used as a treatment for diseases like Crohn′s Disease and rheumatoid arthritis. The Solidarity trial had earlier revealed that the four treatments tested, including remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon, had little to no effect in COVID-19 patients. Corticosteroids are the only drugs that have been found to be effective against severe and critical COVID-19… (NDTV – Reuters, August 11, 2021)