Russian Government Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA) on use of anti-malaria drug mefloquine

Official release:

FMBA of Russia presented a drug for the treatment of coronavirus infectionThe Research and Production Center Pharmzashchita of the FMBA of Russia, taking into account Chinese and French experience, has developed a treatment regimen for coronavirus infection based on the antimalarial drug mefloquine. “The drug with high selectivity blocks the cytopathic effect of coronavirus in cell culture and prevents its replication, and the immunosuppressive effect of mefloquine prevents the activation of the inflammatory response caused by the virus. The addition of macrolide antibiotics and synthetic penicillins not only prevents the formation of a secondary bacterial-viral syndrome, but also allows you to increase the concentration of antiviral agents in blood plasma and lungs. This will provide effective treatment for patients with coronavirus infection of varying severity, ”said Veronika Skvortsova, Head of the FMBA of Russia.
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The developments were carried out taking into account the recommendations of the World Health Organization and were proposed for inclusion in the Methodological Recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of new coronavirus infection (COVID ‑ 19).

​“In addition, the FMBA of Russia is working to create, on the basis of mefloquine, an effective and safe scheme for the prevention of coronavirus infection, which will not only overcome the peak of incidence, but also effectively control it in the future,” added Veronika Skvortsova, Head of the FMBA of Russia.

RT has this report.