Researchers with UW Medicine are looking for participants for Phase 3 of a clinical trial of a drug being used to treat monkeypox.
The drug, tecovirimat, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat smallpox, and researchers want to see whether the drug is also safe and effective in treating monkeypox.
“There is an urgent need for monkeypox treatments, and this study will help us get critical information about the safety and effectiveness of tecovirimat at treating this infection,” said Dr. Rachel Bender Ignacio, a physician-scientist and assistant professor of allergy and infectious diseases at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “People living in the Seattle area who have monkeypox have the opportunity to make a huge contribution by participating in this study.”
The trial is aiming to enroll at least 500 adults who are infected with monkeypox, and will include people with severe disease and those at risk of severe disease, including pregnant people, children, those with underlying immune deficiencies and those with active inflammatory skin conditions.
Participants will be followed for at least eight weeks through virtual and in-person visits to determine if tecovirimat works better than a placebo.
Those interested in enrolling in the study should contact UW Positive Research by email (positiveresearch@uw.edu) or voice/text at 206-773-7129.