India's Mankind Pharma Claims Niclosamide More Potent than Remdesivir, Chloroquine in COVID-19 Treatment, an Industrial Info Market Brief

Antihelminth drug Niclosamide, which has been used to treat tapeworm infections across the world for over five decades, is now emerging as a promising candidate against COVID-19 due to its antiviral properties.

India's leading generic drug manufacturer, Mankind Pharma Limited, has partnered with South Korean Daewoong Pharmaceutical Company Limited to conduct initial human trials of intramuscular formulation of Niclosamide for the treatment of COVID-19.

According to Mankind Pharma, the advancement into a Phase I clinical trial is based on encouraging preclinical evidence against COVID-19. The company claimed that Niclosamide was found to be 40, 26 and 15 times more potent than Remdesivir, Chloroquine and Ciclesonide, respectively, for its antiviral action against the novel coronavirus, besides its anti-inflammatory properties.

"The injectable intramuscular formulation of Niclosamide successfully removed the virus from lungs in animal tests, thereby countering viral infection, besides preventing cytokine storm, which is the major cause of mortality in moderate to severe cases of COVID-19," the company said in a statement.