Despite enormous progress in understanding COVID-19, there is little evidence that asolution, therapeutic or preventive, is close to being achieved. Repurposing of wellknown, widely available drugs represent an attractive approach to speed up availabilityof active treatments. Such substances as i.e. hydroxychloroquine and others, are alreadyunder investigation and in widespread off label use. For many reasons Methylene blue(MB), the oldest synthetic substance in medicine (1876 synthesized by BASF) is such apromising candidate for an active treatment against SARS-CoV-2 infected people and forCOVID-19 patients.
Drug: Methylene Blue
Treatment Group. Methylene Blue 100 mg capsules, twice a day for 5 consecutive days, will
be added to the current therapy of the patient, if any.
Drug: Control Test
Arm B: Control Group. Placebo capsules 100 mg twice a day for 5 consecutive days, will be
added to the current therapy of the patient, if any.
Inclusion criteria are:
- signed informed consent
- age ≥ 18 years
- microbiologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection
- negative pregnancy test in women of child-bearing age
Exclusion criteria are:
- documented refusal to participate in the study
- known G-6-Phophatase deficiency
- treatment with a serotoninergic drug
Fondazione Epatocentro Ticino
Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland