Lupus Therapeutics, the clinical trial affiliate of the Lupus Research Alliance, is starting a clinical study to assess the potential benefit of hydroxychloroquine and/or other lupus therapies in preventing or decreasing the symptoms of COVID-19 in people with lupus, it was reported on Tuesday.

The study will be designed and conducted in partnership with Lupus Therapeutics' Lupus Clinical Investigators Network, which includes 57 academic medical centres in the United States and Canada. Around 20,000 lupus patients are part of the network.

This study is intended to follow up on anecdotal data from several academic centres within the Lupus Clinical Investigators Network.