The Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), situated in Lucknow, and an integral part of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has recently acquired permission to commence Phase III trials of Umifenovir, a potential drug against Covid-19. The trials would be randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigations that will aim to test the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of Umifenovir.
Umifenovir: A Safe Weapon in the Antiviral Arsenal
Umifenovir has been extensively employed in the treatment of influenza in Russia and China, establishing its safety profile. The drug, however, gained considerable recognition due to its potential application for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. The forthcoming clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of Umifenovir in Indian patients battling the severe virus.
Boosting the Body’s Defence with Umifenovir
Umifenovir functions by restricting the virus from gaining entry into human cells while concurrently priming the immune system to respond more robustly against the viral onslaught. This dual action strengthens the body’s defence mechanism against the virulent invader.
Homegrown Solution: Umifenovir
A significant advantage of Umifenovir is that all the raw materials required for its manufacture are indigenous to India. The successful completion of its clinical trial could potentially result in the availability of a safe, efficacious, and affordable domestic drug against Covid-19, reducing India’s dependency on foreign pharmaceutical imports.
Prophylactic Utility of Umifenovir
Further adding to its appeal is Umifenovir’s potential for prophylactic use. A prophylactic is a medical intervention designed to preemptively prevent the occurrence of a disease, rather than treating it post-onset.
CSIR Battles Covid-19
The CSIR has also been actively involved in other avenues of battling Covid-19. It is currently evaluating Mycobacterium W (Mw) for its ability to speed up recovery in hospitalised Covid-19 patients. Moreover, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given a green signal to the clinical trial of Favipiravir, an additional drug.
Understanding the Trial Design: Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trials
Randomised trials involve an allocation process, where subjects are randomly assigned into either placebo or treatment groups. A placebo resembles the actual treatment in all ways, except it possesses no therapeutic effect, like sugar pills or saline injections.
A double-blind design ensures that both the patients and researchers remain unaware of whether a placebo or the real treatment is being administered, eliminating potential biases.
In placebo-controlled studies, the control group receives a placebo rather than the active drug. The results of the drug-treated group are then compared against the placebo group to ascertain the true effectiveness of the drug under study.
