TOKYO, Jan 31 (Reuters) – Japanese trading and pharmaceutical company Kowa Co Ltd said on Monday anti-parasite drug ivermectin showed an “antiviral effect” against Omicron and other variants of coronavirus in joint non-clinical research.
Kowa did not provide 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 here.
Here is the company’s press release announcing the good news. This has been translated to English:
“Kowa announced today that it has confirmed that the investigational drug ivermectin, which is being used in a Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infections, has the same antiviral effect against existing mutant strains (in addition to the existing mutant strains alpha, beta, gamma and delta). We have confirmed that ivermectin has the same antiviral effect against omicron strains.
As announced on March 7, 2021, Kowa received a request directly from Professor Satoshi Omura of Kitasato University, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, to conduct clinical trials of ivermectin as a treatment for new coronavirus infections. We believe that it is our mission as a pharmaceutical company to contribute to the treatment of new coronavirus infections and protect the health of the people, and we are conducting clinical trials to confirm the efficacy and safety of ivermectin for new coronavirus infections.
Ivermectin has been distributed by WHO to infected areas as a treatment for parasitic infections for over 30 years. In some countries, especially in Africa, it has been so safe that volunteers distribute it directly to people. In addition, ivermectin has been reported to inhibit intracellular entry and replication of SARS-CoV-2, and is expected to be applied as a drug repositioning agent for the treatment of new coronavirus infections. This clinical trial differs from the dosage and administration already approved for the treatment of parasitic infections, but we are currently confirming the efficacy and safety in the clinical trial.
By confirming the clinical efficacy of ivermectin against SARS-CoV-2 and providing it to the public as soon as possible, Kowa will make a small contribution to the treatment of new coronavirus infections.”
Imagine living in a country where pharmaceutical companies actually care about the health and wellness of the people. Crazy.
We already know ivermectin works against Covid-19. We’ve known this for a while now.
But the importance of this press release is that it comes from a large pharmaceutical company and is thus much more difficult for the corporate media to ignore and/or dismiss.
The tide is turning. Can you feel it?