The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)’s Clinical Trial Centre has announced its collaboration with CUHK Medical Centre (CUHKMC) on a clinical trial to evaluate a new oral pipeline JT001 (VV116) for the early treatment of COVID-19 in patients with mild to moderate infection.

The aim of the study is to understand the effectiveness of this new oral treatment in preventing patients’ conditions from progressing to severe.

The study will enrol 2,000 subjects aged 18 years and over from across the globe with a recently confirmed COVID-19 infection.

It is the first time Hong Kong has been involved in a clinical trial on patients using a novel oral treatment specifically developed for COVID-19.

JT001 (VV116) was approved for research purposes by the National Medical Products Administration in late 2021. In animal studies, JT001 (VV116) has shown to reduce viral load and inflammation in the lungs of infected subjects. In phase 1 clinical studies with healthy volunteers, it was found to have a good safety profile.

The study will take place at the CUHKMC COVID Medical Station. Patients who have been newly infected and are interested in participating in the clinical trial will first undergo a screening process followed by the treatment.