Novartis and Incyte Plan Second Phase 3 Trial of Jakafi for COVID-19

Incyte and Novartis are planning a second phase 3 clinical trial in the U.S. of their JAK inhibitor Jakafi (ruxolitinib) as a COVID-19 treatment.

The trial will evaluate the drug’s safety and efficacy along with the standard of care, compared to standard-of-care therapy alone in COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation and who have acute respiratory distress syndrome.

The companies launched a phase 3 trial of Jakafi last month to treat cytokine storm – an immune response in which the body attacks its own cells – in COVID-19 patients.