A Duke Clinical Research Institute study found no difference in relief for mild-moderate COVID-19 symptoms for patients taking ivermectin and patients taking a placebo.

Ivermectin is one of three medications in a ACTIV-6 nationwide study. It is typically used to treat parasite infections, but was repurposed to try and treat COVID-19 symptoms.

ACTIV-6 is part of the National Institutes of Health-funded Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines. The Duke Clinical Research Institute is the clinical coordinating center whereas Vanderbilt University Medical Center is the study’s data coordinating center.

The ACTIV-6 study, titled “The Randomized Trial to Evaluate Efficacy of Repurposed Medications,” has more than 4,000 participants with plans to include nearly 15,000.

The ivermectin part of the study began in June 2021 with 1,537 participants across the country enrolled in a double-blind trial. During the trial, participants either took 400 mcg/kg per day of ivermectin or a placebo for three days.

Dr. Adrian Hernandez, the study’s administrative principal investigator and the executive director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute, said there was no significant benefit in resolution of symptoms.

“Overall, most people improved their symptoms whether they took ivermectin or not,” Hernandez said in a release. “Given these results, there does not appear to be a role for ivermectin outside of a clinical trial setting, especially considering other available options with proven reduction in hospitalizations and death.”

Ivermectin is not an FDA approved medication to treat COVID-19 and should only be taken as part of a clinical trial.

The ACTIV-6 study is now studying the potential effect of a 600 mcg/kg dose across six days.

“Given the favorable safety profile and continued public interest in ivermectin, the ACTIV-6 team will continue to study this higher dose to determine whether it will make enough of a difference to be considered for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19,” Dr. Susanna Naggie, the Duke Clinical Research Institute principal investigator overseeing the study’s clinical coordinating center said. “We are committed to sharing these study results with participants, the public, and scientific community when they are available.”

 

Photo via AP Photo/Mike Stewart

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