The Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia has published preliminary results of testing the anti-malaria medicine mefloquine against the coronavirus.

      Studies performed by doctors on cell culture showed that mefloquine at a concentration of 2 μg / ml completely blocked the negative impact of the new type coronavirus on healthy human cells.

       In addition, preliminary results of testing the drug in 347 patients showed that in 78 percent of participants with a moderate to severe course of the COVID-19 disease proceeds with positive clinical dynamics, regression, or stabilization of changes in the lung tissue. On the 5-7th day of treatment, the coronavirus test already yields a negative result, the publication notes.

      "Reliable conclusions about the effectiveness and safety of the use of the Mefloquine drug in patients with a new coronavirus infection will be made by the FMBA of Russia at the end of a clinical study and a thorough statistical analysis of the material - before May 20, 2020," - the FMBA reported.