The Italian Medicines Agency (Aifa) has approved a protocol for the compassionate use of the drug ruxolitinib, already used in the hematology field, for patients with COVID-19. Novartis Italia announces it and the authorization is published on the Aifa website. The go-ahead concerns the possible use of the drug in those COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure who do not require invasive assisted ventilation. The drug will be available for all Italian hospitals following a doctor's request. The protocol was subjected to the scientific review of the National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani. Normally ruxolitinib is used in the hematology field: currently there is no evidence on its use in patients with COVID-19 even if, in relation to the inhibitory activity on proinflammatory cytokines, ruxolitinib may be able to mitigate the effects of a severe inflammatory reaction ( cytokine release syndrome) which can occur during COVID-19.
Coronavirus: ok Aifa use compassionate hematological drug
2020-04-07T14:04:16.160Z
The Italian Medicines Agency (Aifa) has approved a protocol for the compassionate use of the drug ruxolitinib, already used in the hematology field, for patients with COVID-19. (HANDLE)
