Nitazoxanide compound synthesized at the Hà Nội-based Institute of Chemistry under the Việt Nam Academy of Science and Technology. Photo Courtesy of the institute

HÀ NỘI —  Nitazoxanide has been successfully synthesized by the Institute of Chemistry, under the Việt Nam Academy of Science and Technology, to produce drugs to treat COVID-19 patients with mild and medium symptoms. 

The compound was synthesized on a pilot scale, which is larger than on a laboratory scale but smaller than the production scale.

Professor and PhD Nguyễn Văn Tuyến, Director of the Institute of Chemistry, said that the institute’s scientists studied and succeeded in perfecting the process of synthesizing Nitazoxanide during the pilot phase.

The institute previously announced its success in synthesizing Favipiravir, while the Institute of Marine Biochemistry successfully synthesized Molnupiravir - an antiviral medication that inhibits the replication of certain RNA viruses, and is used to treat those infected with COVID-19.

“The nitazoxanide synthesis process achieves high efficiency through only two reaction steps, from low-cost raw materials. This is a generic drug with a very cheap price that can be used orally and is safe and suitable for use in Vietnamese conditions," Tuyến said.

Nitazoxanide has a broad spectrum of antiviral activity against many different viruses. Particularly, Nitazoxanide is active against COVID-19 cultured on Vero cell6 with IC50 2 µM.

Nitazoxanide can enhance the immune response and improve the lungs and other organs of the body, meaning the drug can be used effectively in the treatment of COVID-19 patients with underlying health conditions, especially those suffering from cytokine storm - a syndrome in which the body’s own immune system goes into overdrive in response to the infection, mistakenly destroying other cells of the body in the process, which leads to organ failure and other severe damage.

The Institute of Chemistry signed a contract in principle to transfer technology and proposed a clinical trial of the low-cost drug Nitazoxanide to treat mild and moderate COVID-19 patients at home, Tuyến said.

Currently, 29 such clinical trials have been conducted around the world; eight trials have ended and proved that Nitazoxanide can be used safely for the early treatment of COVID-19 in mild and moderate forms through reducing the viral load, which reduces the number of hospitalised patients, Tuyến said. 

“Nitazoxanide has also been shown to be effective for the treatment of pregnant patients and for preventive use by healthcare professionals,” he added. VNS