Drug Used to Treat Prostate Cancer May Have Off-Label Use for COVID-19

A Brazilian study on the use of proxalutamide, a new drug indicated for prostate cancer, provided unexpected benefits for hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Results showed that 81% of patients with COVID-19 who received proxalutamide for 2 weeks survived, compared to 36% of those who were given a placebo. The study was composed of 645 patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized but still breathing independently. At the 4-week mark, only 11% of the group taking proxalutamide had died, compared with 49% of the placebo group. The medication inactivates androgen hormones by hindering their receptors on the surface of cells. Click here to read more.