Teva Rushes to Bring Malaria Drug to Coronavirus Patients
- Drugmaker to donate more than 10 million tablets to hospitals
- Mylan, Bayer also increase production of decades-old treatment
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Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. said it plans to donate more than 10 million tablets of hydroxychloroquine sulfate, a malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump as a potential treatment for the coronavirus, to help U.S. hospitals meet a potential surge in demand.
The Israeli company is one of the world’s largest makers of hydroxychloroquine, a less-toxic version of chloroquine, which is used in malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Though the treatment hasn’t yet been approved for use in patients with Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, Trump said Thursday he has urged health authorities to expand its use.