An international group of researchers, including Convatech CEO Hans Platteeuw, believe there is ample evidence that antimalarial drugs can be used to treat COVID-19 and that they should be assessed for their efficacy in clinical trials.

The research group, from institutions across Europe, Asia, and Africa, point to a combination of the drugs artesunate and pyronaridine as the most promising.

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have demonstrated in-vitro inhibition of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Artemisinins have also shown anti-inflammatory effects, including inhibition of interleukin-6 (IL-6) that plays a key role in the development of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is now sufficient evidence for the effectiveness of ACTs, and in particular artesunate/pyronaridine, to support clinical studies for COVID-19 infections.