Dr Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology, Health and Family Welfare and Earth Sciences, launched a website that gives comprehensive information about the numerous COVID-19 clinical trials that CSIR is engaged in partnership with industry, other government departments and ministries.
Called CuRED or CSIR Ushered Repurposed Drugs, the website provides information about the drugs, diagnostics and devices including the current stage of the trials, partnering institutions and their role in the trials and other details. The site can be accessed at https://www.iiim.res.in/cured/ or http://db.iiim.res.in/ct/index.php.
The Minister lauded the efforts of CSIR for being at the forefront of the ongoing fight against COVID-19 and prioritising clinical trials, generating data for their regulatory approval and helping launch drugs and diagnostics in the market. He commended the approach of using repurposed drugs and also, synthesising COVID-19 drugs through new processes and transferring to Industry.
CSIR is exploring multiple combination clinical trials of anti-virals with host-directed therapies for the potential treatment of COVID-19. CSIR is also working with the Ministry of AYUSH for clinical trials of AYUSH drugs and has undertaken safety and efficacy trials of AYUSH prophylactics and therapeutics based on individual plant-based compounds and in combination. Five clinical trials involving Withaniasomnifera, Tinosporacordifolia + Piper longum(in combination), Glycyrrhizaglabra, Tinosporacordifolia & Adhatodavasica (individually and in combination) and AYUSH-64 formulation are undergoing safety and efficacy trials.