Canadian drug trial on blood pressure and diabetes drugs for COVID-19

COVID-19 Research Area(s): Vaccines & Treatments

Dr. James Russell, professor in the UBC department of medicine, is receiving $3.5 million from CIHR for a multi-site randomized controlled trial (RCT) to study the safety and effectiveness of using losartan, a drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure and diabetes, to lower COVID-19 mortality. Losartan is in a class of drug known as an ARBs, which have been shown to reduce viral load and lung injury in influenza pneumonia.