The University of Oxford said on Wednesday (June 23) it was testing anti-parasitic drug ivermectin as a possible treatment for Covid-19, as part of a British government-backed study that aims to aid recoveries in non-hospital settings.

Ivermectin resulted in a reduction of virus replication in laboratory studies, the university said, adding that a small pilot showed giving the drug early could reduce viral load and the duration of symptoms in some patients with mild Covid-19.

Dubbed Principle, the British study in January showed that antibiotics azithromycin and doxycycline were generally ineffective against early-stage Covid-19.

While the World Health Organization, and European and US regulators have recommended against using ivermectin in Covid-19 patients, it is being used to treat the illness in some countries, including India.

"By including ivermectin in a large-scale trial like Principle, we hope to generate robust evidence to determine how effective the treatment is against Covid-19, and whether there are benefits or harms associated with its use," co-lead investigator of the trial Chris Butler said.

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