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MGC Pharma joins global COVID-19 task force

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MGC Pharma has joined a global COVID-19 task force set up by the World Health Organisation to map and assess all ongoing research, including clinical trials.
Camera IconMGC Pharma has joined a global COVID-19 task force set up by the World Health Organisation to map and assess all ongoing research, including clinical trials. Credit: elad segev/File

In what appears to be something of a coup for ASX-listed MGC Pharma, the Perth-based medicinal marijuana player has been selected to participate in a global COVID-19 task force set up by the World Health Organisation, or “WHO”, to map and assess all ongoing research, including clinical trials aimed at defeating the Coronavirus that has run rampant and largely unchecked across the globe for months.

It seems that MGC’s ongoing clinical trials of its ‘ArtemiC’ formulation on Israeli patients infected with COVID-19 has caught the eye of the WHO. The company said the WHO is engaging pharma companies around the world to gather the latest updates and specific trial data to include in the WHO’s systematic, ‘living’ review.

MGC Pharma said Coronavirus infection rates in Israel had spiked recently, leading to more patient applications for participation in its Phase II clinical trials at its two active sites, the Hillel Yaffe and Nazareth hospitals.

The company said its ArtemiC formulation is a natural supplement based on Artemisinin and Curcumin, with the addition of Vitamin C and Boswellia serrata, all well-known natural active ingredients with anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory and antioxidant properties.

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In parallel with its Israeli trial and its gig with the WHO task force, MGC Pharma said it is expanding its clinical trials into India where a second wave led to over 18,000 people being diagnosed with COVID-19 yesterday alone taking the country’s total of confirmed cases well passed half a million, according to WHO data.

After receiving Ethics Committee approval, MGC will trial its ArtemiC formulation on patients diagnosed with COVID-19 at the Mahatma Gandhi Mission’s Medical College & Hospital in Aurangabad in India.

Management said additional site locations outside of Israel were necessary to gather a wider statistical data base required to progress an application of marketing authorisation for ArtemiC with the US Food and Drug Administration and for European Medical Association registration.

Co-founder and Managing Director of MGC Pharma, Roby Zomer said: “We have expanded the patient recruitment process for our Phase II clinical trial to India where there is still a large number of new COVID-19 cases being reported on a daily basis. In addition, these wider statistical results to be obtained through the trial in India will also be required as part of the marketing authorization application for ArtemiC.”

The company described the trials as “Phase II double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trials”. They are structured to assess the safety and efficacy of ArtemiC on the specific treatment of the cyclonic storm deterioration of the respiratory system in patients infected with COVID-19.

Is your ASX listed company doing something interesting ? Contact : matt.birney@wanews.com.au

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