Common drug colchicine gives hope in fight against COVID: Canadian research

A major clinical trial in Canada shows that a cheap anti-inflammatory drug called colchicine can significantly reduce the risk of complications and death from COVID-19, bringing “great hope” to those affected, the lead researcher said on Sunday.

Jean-Claude Tardif, director of the Montreal Heart Institute (ICM), led the study called “Colcorona”, the preliminary results of which were published Friday evening.

The full results will be made public “as soon as possible,” he said in an interview with AFP.

Q: What are the main conclusions of your study, carried out on 4488 patients worldwide since March 2020?

A: The Colcorona study provided convincing results of a more than 20% reduction in COVID-19 hospitalizations or deaths with colchicine, compared to placebo … When it comes to patients who had a test that officially proves their COVID-19 diagnosis, the result with colchicine is even better, that is, a 25% reduction in hospitalizations, 50% in ventilator needs and 44% in deaths.

The hypothesis behind the study was that the reason patients develop complications from COVID is the exaggerated inflammatory response that a patient’s white blood cells develop in response to the virus … Our hunch was that by using a drug such as colchicine to reduce this exaggerated inflammatory response, known as “cytokine storms”, could prevent complications.

Q: Why do you think the results are so important in the global fight against the pandemic?

A: Colchicine is a powerful anti-inflammatory that has been known for a very long time, it was discovered 150 years ago. It is extracted from a plant called Colchicum autumnale and is used to treat various diseases such as gout, inflammatory arthritis, and pericarditis, among others.

The beauty of the study results is that colchicine is already available in pharmacies, since it is used safely and inexpensively for many diseases … Our discovery will not only be useful in France, Canada and the United States and the G8 countries, but (also in) developing countries, poor countries, Africa and Asia will quickly benefit from cheap colchicine, which is taken orally as tablets.

Our results bring great hope to patients, healthcare systems and governments. Finally, we provide part of a significant solution to reduce hospitalizations and possibly reduce congestion in the hospital system.

Q: Scientists are now waiting for the full results of your study, when do you plan to publish them?

A: We are submitting the manuscript to a major scientific journal today (Sunday). Obviously I can’t presume the date of publication, the journal will do its job, it’s one of the biggest journals in the world. We’ll share the rest of the results as soon as possible, maybe even before the final publication (in the journal). We are convinced that our results are conclusive, convincing and can be used immediately for the benefit of patients.

There will probably be a quick review by the regulatory agencies, the EMA (European Medicines Agency), Health Canada in Canada, the FDA in the United States, who will quickly review the data … Now I think the doctors do not have to wait for this regulatory review by the agencies … Doctors, health practitioners, can prescribe it immediately because it is already available.

© 2021 AFP