NATCO's Chloroquine for International Study to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection In Frontline Healthcare Workers

Natco Pharma Limited (NSE: NATCOPHARM; BSE: 524816) has donated Chloroquine Phosphate Tablets through its marketing partner in the United States, Rising Pharmaceuticals, to support a global clinical trial conducted by the CROWN Collaborative, for Protecting Essential Healthcare Workers from COVID-19 virus. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is the clin ical coordinating center for this ambitious international trial.

The group, called the COVID-19 Research Outcomes Worldwide Network (CROWN) Collaborative, is testing whether the antimalaria drug Chloroquine can prevent COVID-19 infection or decrease its severity in front-line health-care workers. For this study, Chloroquine will be donated to the U.S. arm of the Chloroquine Repurposing to healthWorkers for Novel CORONAvirus mitigaTION (CROWN CORONATION) clinical trial.

The Collaborative and the trial are funded by the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, an initiative with contributions from an array of public and philanthropic donors, including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Conducted at multiple sites in North America, Europe, the UK and Africa, CROWN CORONATION will evaluate the protective potential of weekly, twice weekly or daily doses of Chloroquine, when compared with placebo, in frontline healthcare workers at high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. The trial aims to include at least 30,000 subjects across the frontline healthcare workers.

NATCO has been supplying Chloroquine Phosphate Tablets, a USFDA approved drug, through its marketing partner to the United States since 2011. More recently NATCO's alternate facility in Vizag has also been approved to supply the same drug. Chloroquine Phosphate Tablets are indicated predominantly for the treatment of malaria.

There is an urgent need to identify a drug to protect essential healthcare workers and NATCO is very glad to help battle this unprecedented crisis engulfing the world.

Shares of NATCO PHARMA LTD. was last trading in BSE at Rs.602 as compared to the previous close of Rs. 585.75. The total number of shares traded during the day was 8602 in over 838 trades.

The stock hit an intraday high of Rs. 617.2 and intraday low of 592. The net turnover during the day was Rs. 5215848.

Source : Equity Bulls

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