The World Health Organisation has announced major international trials of three drugs to find out whether they improve the condition of hospitalised Covid-19 patients.

Artesunate, imatinib and infliximab will be tested on thousands of volunteer patients in more than 600 hospitals in 52 countries, according to AFP.

“Finding more effective and accessible therapeutics for Covid-19 patients remains a critical need,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The coordinated research across dozens of countries allows the trial to assess multiple treatments using a single protocol, thereby generating robust estimates on the effect a drug may have on mortality, including moderate effects, said the WHO.