Japanese Kowa says ivermectin has “antiviral effect” against Omicron, other variants

Reagent tubes with name tags for coronavirus are seen in this illustration taken January 29, 2020. REUTERS / Dado Ruvic

TOKYO, January 31 (Reuters) ̵[ads1]1; The Japanese trade and pharmaceutical company Kowa Co Ltd (7807.T) said on Monday that the antiparasitic drug ivermectin has an “antiviral effect” against Omicron and other variants of COVID-19 while Phase III clinical trials continue .

The company has not provided further details.

The company has worked with Kitasato University, a medical university in Tokyo, to test the drug used to treat parasites in animals and humans, as a potential treatment for COVID-19.

Clinical trials are ongoing, but promotion of the drug as a COVID-19 treatment has created controversy.

The drug is not approved for the treatment of COVID-19 in Japan, and the US Federal Drug Administration, the World Health Organization and the EU drug regulator have warned against its use.

Reporting by Sam Nussey and Rocky Swift; Edited by Tomasz Janowski and Louise Heavens

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