(Montreal, QC, Thursday, September 3, 2020) – At the moment, there is no available, FDA-approved treatment that can be given to patients at home to prevent them from worsening illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 complications.

A new clinical trial, funded in part by the National Institute of Health, is currently underway to determine whether colchicine, a commonly used anti-inflammatory medication with a well-established safety profile, could help dampen inflammation that the body produces in response to the virus and enable patients to recover without being hospitalized.

Patients who have been newly diagnosed with COVID-19, can find out if they are eligible to participate in an at-home clinical trial of a commonly used drug that could prevent hospitalization, the need to be put on a ventilator and possible mortality from COVID-19.

Colchicine, the generic name of the medication used in the trial, taken as a pill in its current form, has been used for more than 2,000 years to treat gout and other inflammatory conditions.

The at-home trial is seeking participants across the U.S. The trial will enroll and follow for 30 days men and women who meet the following criteria:

• Have a COVID-19 diagnosis (test positive or have classic symptoms of fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or loss of taste and smell) within the past 48 hours;
• Are 40 years of age or older and are not hospitalized for COVID-19;
• Have at least one high-risk criteria, such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, or asthma;
• Are willing to take the drug or placebo daily for 30 days;
• Are willing to participate in two follow-up calls by phone or videoconference.

Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif is the Director of the Research Centre at the Montreal Heart Institute and Professor of Medicine at the University of Montreal.