BEIJING, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese antiviral medicine for COVID-19, called JS016, has commenced phase-3 clinical trials overseas, its developer said Monday.
A medical worker prepares a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination site in Quito, Ecuador, July 12, 2021. (Photo by Santiago Armas/Xinhua)
In June 2020, China's drug regulator granted permission to the developers to carry out human tests.
According to the institute, JS016 has become the first COVID-19 monoclonal antibody in the world to carry out clinical trials in healthy people.
Researchers completed global multi-center phase-2 trials this month. The results of the early-stage trials support the safety and effectiveness of JS016, suggesting it can lower the viral titer in participants and reduce the risk of becoming a severe case.
"The drug has been used for emergency treatment in 15 countries, and more than 500,000 doses have been sent overseas," said Yan Jinghua, a researcher with the Institute of Microbiology.
China's Ministry of Science and Technology has also allocated 3,000 doses of the drug for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in the country, Yan added.