Japanese trading and pharmaceutical company Kowa Co Ltd said on Monday anti-parasite drug ivermectin has been found effective for treating the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in a Phase III trial.
The trial found ivermectin has "an antiviral effect" against the variant, Kowa said without providing further details. The firm has been working with Kitasato University, a medical university in Tokyo.
Clinical trials evaluating the drug, which is used to treat parasites in animals and humans, are ongoing but promotion of the drug as a Covid-19 treatment has generated controversy.
The drug is not approved for treatment of Covid-19 in Japan and the US Federal Drug Administration, the World Health Organisation and the EU drug regulator have warned against its use.
&uuid=(email))