New COVID-19 Drug Trial

Idaho Falls Community Hospital is participating in another COVID-19 drug trial aimed at reducing the number of patients who need to be put in intensive care or on a ventilator. The hospital recently enrolled its first patient in the trial.

The trial involves a medication called Ruxolitinib, more commonly known as Jakavi. The medication can be used in patients 12 years and older who have COVID-19 and are experiencing a cytokine storm, which can lead to potentially life-threatening respiratory complications.

Pre-clinical and preliminary clinical evidence suggests Jakavi, a well-established JAK enzyme inhibitor, could reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms in patients. Jakavi is an oral tablet given to patients twice a day.

The trial is a global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Jakavi in treating the coronavirus. Standard of care medications such as steroids and Remdesivir can still be used in patients participating in the study.

Jakavi was first approved by the FDA in 2011 to treat patients with a specific type of bone marrow cancer.

Idaho Falls Community Hospital is committed to offering patients the latest advances in COVID-19 treatment, so they can have faster recoveries and experience less severe symptoms.