UW Medicine Seeks Volunteers To Test Coronavirus Treatment

SEATTLE, WA — UW Medicine is seeking volunteers to help test a new treatment for the coroanvirus.

The trail is for a new drug called "LY3819253" which contains coronavirus antibodies. Researchers say that, if the drug is successful, it should provide immediate protection against the virus which should last for several weeks after treatment.

To qualify, volunteers must be 18 or older and must have tested positive for the coronavirus in the last week before they entered the drug trial. They also need to have exhibited at least one coronavirus symptom within two days before entering the program. They'll also need to be free for at least 28 days of "intensive" follow-up after receiving their first treatment.

"People living in the Seattle area who have recently been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are not hospitalized have the opportunity to make a huge contribution by participating in this study," said infectious disease physician and UW professor of medicine Ann Collier.

Currently, there are no federally-approved treatments for the coronavirus, so this drug test could lead to a major breakthrough in battling the pandemic.

The intensive 28 days of follow up will include blood, saliva and nasal swab sampling, and doctors will continue to check up in a more limited fashion for the following 5 months, but participants will be reimbursed $500 after all testing is completed.

The drug has already been given to about 400 people already. For this latest round of testing, UW is just one of 25 sites conducting tests. Nationwide, 220 patients will be enrolled in the trial— half of whom will receive a placebo and half will receive the real drug.

Learn more about the study or enroll by visiting UW ACTU's website.