Russia’s health ministry has approved a phase 2/3 trial of RedHill Biopharma’s investigational drug Yeliva (opaganib) for severe COVID-19 patients.

The trial will evaluate the drug in 270 hospitalized patients across 40 clinical sites to see how many require mechanical ventilation by day 14. The participants will either receive Yeliva or a placebo along with standard of care.

Yeliva is currently in a phase 2 study in the U.S. for severe COVID-19 patients and is also being studied as a treatment for bile duct and prostate cancer.