Novartis said it will begin enrollment in the next few weeks for a phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate hydroxychloroquine for treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The trial will include more than 440 participants at more than a dozen U.S. sites.

If the product is approved for COVID-19, Novartis will release its intellectual property relating to hydroxychloroquine for use by other drugmakers.

The company also committed to donating 130 million hydroxychloroquine tablets for global clinical research efforts.