Vielight, a Canada-based photobiomodulation devices provider, has initiated a new clinical trial in the US, to test whether its specialised light therapy could speed up the recovery of patients, recently tested positive for Covid-19 infection.

The randomised controlled clinical trial is planned to enrol 280 participants in the US, aged between of 18 and 65 years, who recently diagnosed with Covid-19 infection.

Vielight has developed a compact and portable device, dubbed Vielight RX Plus, to provide the specialised light therapy that combines intranasally-delivered LED-based red light and LED-based near infrared (NIR) light.

Vielight RX Plus is designed to support the at-home use.

Vielight founder and CEO Lew Lim said: “We have designed the Vielight RX Plus with specific parameters based on PBM research that are relevant to impacting coronavirus infections. By conducting this study, we seek to prove the hypothesis that the Vielight RX Plus will accelerate recovery and reduce the severity of the viral infection.

“It’s affordability, comfort and suitability for home-use are important features needed for widespread adoption. We now need to evaluate through this clinical trial, whether it will also be effective.”

Vielight RX Plus device study to be conducted remotely

The company said that the therapy has been designed based on the science of photobiomodulation (PBM) which leverages certain light energy to modify cellular functions.

The Vielight RX Plus device is believed to offer an effective treatment for Covid-19.

In the study, the enrolled participants will be randomised to receive either the active Vielight RX Plus protocol, or the standard care regimen.

It is planned to be conducted remotely, where participants are expected to stay at home during the study .

Investigators from Progressive Medical Research, in Port Orange, Florida, would offer secure video consultations to communicate with the trial participants, with planned electronic data acquisition through online questionnaires.

Harvard Medical School associate professor Michael Hamblin said: “The body of published research on PBM and related coronavirus infection etiology suggest that PBM may be effective in inhibiting the replication of coronaviruses.

“It could boost the activities of the immune system while managing the risk of inflammation. PBM is also recognized for its healing properties, which may aid recovery.”

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