Covid drug developers ask for funds for clinical trials

Developers of herbal medicines being used as supportive treatment for Covid-19 have asked the government to release funds promised by President Museveni for clinical trials.
Dr Alice Lamwaka, the lead developer of Covilyce-1, herbal medicine from Gulu University, said at the 19th African Traditional Medicine Day Celebration held in Kampala on Tuesday, that expediting the clinical trials will be an important preparedness for the looming third wave.
“We call upon the government to expedite the release of the funding for the clinical trials so that we are more than ready for the third phase of the coronavirus which is in the offing,” she said.
President Museveni early last month that in a special meeting with the developers of Covilyce-1, promised to provide Shs3.7 billion for Dr Lamwaka’s team to do clinical trials.
Prof Patrick Ogwang, the developer of Covidex, said they will use proceeds from the sales of their medicine to fund clinical trials in addition to other support from the government.
He had said they need Shs2 billion to do the clinical trial for the medicine which has been widely sold including in the neighbouring countries.
“We have already developed the protocol [for clinical trial] to accommodate an independent clinical trial team from Makerere and Mbarara University. Today they have gone to Mbarara University to look at the facilities there and validate them for starting the trial,” he said.
“We are already at the advanced stage of approval from the National Council of science and technology and any time soon, maybe next week, they will begin the clinical trial,” he said.
Dr Monica Musenero, the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, said yesterday that plans are underway to release the funds.
“I know they have been asking for funds and funds are not unlimited. But there are those that the President committed to fund and we are waiting for funds to come from the Finance Ministry and they are working on that,” she said, urging developers of herbal medicines to follow the recommended procedure of seeking approval before announcing that their products work.
Mr Museveni warned last month that failure to meet the globally prescribed steps for drug development, which clinical trial is part, would increase the risk of Ugandan products being “labelled inferior and thereby sabotaged by the international players.”
“The one by Prof Patrick Ogwang of Mbarara University called Covidex; and Dr Alice Lamwaka from Gulu University, Covilyce-1 have direct effects on the virus, as well as dampening ‘self-destruction’ effects of the virus (‘panic crisis’). Therefore, a few Ugandans and other international skeptics shouldn’t undermine our home-grown scientific efforts by telling lies about our efforts. Also, the scientists involved must follow the globally prescribed steps so that we don’t give our enemies the chance to shot down our products,” he said recently.
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