Clinical research company George Clinical said on Thursday that it is working with Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute on a new study to explore whether SGLT inhibitor dapagliflozin can prevent disease progression in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and at high risk for complications due to pre-existing cardio metabolic risk factors.

The global 'DARE-19' study will include 900 patients with approximately half of those coming from the United States and the remainder from other countries with high prevalence of COVID-19.

Study enrolment has started in the Kansas City metropolitan area at Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City and other other hospitals around the US.