French drugmaker Sanofi said Friday it is suspending recruitment of new patients for its clinical trials looking at anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for the coronavirus.

"In line with WHO's decision and out of caution, Sanofi has decided to temporarily suspend the recruitment of new patients in both of its clinical trials in COVID-19 patients, pending reassurance on the safety profile of HCQ.".

The announcement came days after a study published in medical journal The Lancet found that hospitalized Covid-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine had a higher risk of death than those who didn't take it.

Patients who took the drug or chloroquine, which hydroxychloroquine is derived from, were also more likely to develop irregular heart rhythms, according to the study, which looked at more than 96,000 patients from 671 hospitals across six continents. .

Even though it isn't a proven treatment against the coronavirus, doctors can give the drug to patients in a common and legal practice known as "off-label" prescribing?