SAN ANTONIO – The FDA has given emergency use approval of a new drug combination for hospitalized COVID-19 patients that was tested in clinical trials in San Antonio.
The promising new COVID-19 treatment includes combining the FDA-approved drug, Remdesivir, with inflammatory oral drug baricitinib for patients that need supplemental oxygen, mechanical ventilation or ECMO, according to health officials.
Recommended Videos
The drug combination was tested in clinical trials in San Antonio by UT Health San Antonio and its clinical partner, University Health. This treatment will be available to hospitalized adults and children two years of age or older.
During clinical trials, the drug combination was “shown to reduce time to recovery within 29 days after initiating treatment compared to patients who received a placebo with remdesivir,” FDA officials said in a statement. However, health professionals are still monitoring the safety and effectiveness of the new drug combination.
Baricitinib is a prescription oral tablet that is FDA-approved and is sold under the brand name Olumiant, according to the FDA. The anti-inflammatory drug is typically used to treat moderate and severe rheumatoid arthritis and has not been approved as a standalone treatment for the coronavirus.
Remdesivir, which is also FDA-approved, is sold under the brand name Veklury and is an antiviral drug for adults and children that are 12-years-old or older if they are hospitalized with COVID-19.
To learn more about the newly-approved drug combination, visit the FDA’s website here.
RELATED: Anti-inflammatory drug may shorten COVID-19 recovery time