Nearly 1,000 patients with coronavirus in the UK have enrolled in the world’s largest randomized clinical trial of potential COVID-19 treatments. The trial, which has been prioritized and fast-tracked by the UK government, will examine the value of HIV, anti-inflammatory and anti-malarial drugs in fighting the virus.

The government-funded Randomized Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial, conducted by the University of Oxford at more than 130 hospitals across the UK, will explore the safety and efficacy of HIV drugs lopinavir/ritonavir and anti-inflammatory steroid dexamethasone.

Additionally, the efficacy and safety of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine will be explored in the study. The design of the trial allows for other medicines to be added as their treatment value is identified.

Recruitment of the 1,000 patients took just 15 days, and thousands more patients are expected to join the trial. Safety and efficacy data from RECOVERY are expected in the coming months, but no timeline for the availability of these data has been announced.