Coronavirus: Kenyan researchers 'await approval for clinical trials'

Kenyan researchers are awaiting approval for clinical trials of three drugs in the treatment of Covid-19, the Daily Nation newspaper reports.

The researchers plan to conduct trials on Remdesivir, anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and Lopinavir/ritonavir, the newspaper reports.

Remdesivir is an antiretroviral drug originally developed as an Ebola treatment.

Kenya's lead investigator in the study Loice Achieng Ombajo is quoted as saying the trials are part of an international trial, though she did not mention who is sponsoring the study.

She said they are waiting for approvals from the Poisons and Pharmacies Board and the National Council of Science, Technology and Innovation.

"We'll be conducting that [the trials] at different centres in the country to help determine if there is any drug that would work," Dr Ombajo is quoted as saying.

Kenya has reported 490 coronavirus cases and 24 deaths.