'If you cast your mind back to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the talk was about treatments with US President Donald Trump asking questions about oral bleach and strongly promoting hydroxychloroquine which is now known not to work.
Things have moved on. We also know that certain anti-HIV drugs don't work either and that the antiviral remdesivir is disappointing.
But there are reports that monoclonal antibodies might work, that blocking the receptor for the virus might be promising and - returning to one of our early reports - that the anti-parasitic medication ivermectin has not yet fallen out of the race.'
Early results from large, randomised trial suggest antiviral does little to reduce mortality rates or time in hospital.
A World Health Organization trial using four drugs including the antiviral remdesivir in the hospital treatment of COVID-19 has found the repurposed medicines have little to no effect on the length of time patients spend in hospital or their survival.
“These Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir and Interferon regimens appeared to have little or no effect on hospitalized COVID-19, as indicated by overall mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay,” the researchers wrote in a preprint on the findings of the WHO’s Solidarity trial that was released on medRxiv.
The results have to yet to be peer-reviewed.
Remdesivir, developed for Ebola by US pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, was one of the earliest treatments put forward for COVID-19 and was taken by US President Donald Trump when he was admitted to hospital with the disease at the beginning of the month. Trump has also touted the use of hydroxychloroquine, as has Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro.
“It’s certainly disappointing,” Julie Fischer, an associate research professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Georgetown University told Al Jazeera. “What all of us would like to see is what is frequently called a ‘magic bullet’; a drug that’s already in existence, that is safe and works effectively in patients. Unfortunately, in this case, this trial at least suggests the benefits of remdesivir weren’t there at all.”
The randomised trial of the drugs took place in 405 hospitals across 30 countries and involved 11,266 patients. Some 2,750 people were allocated remdesivir, 954 hydroxychloroquine, 1,411 lopinavir, 651 interferon plus lopinavir, 1,412 only interferon, and 4,088 were given none of the study drugs.
In a statement, Gilead said it was “concerned” that the data from the trial had not undergone vigorous review, and that it was unclear whether any “conclusive findings” could be drawn from the results.
Earlier this month, data from a US study of remdesivir by Gilead showed the treatment cut patients’ COVID-19 recovery time by five days compared with patients who got a placebo in a trial comprised of 1,062 subjects.
“The emerging [WHO] data appears inconsistent, with more robust evidence from multiple randomised, controlled studies published in peer-reviewed journals validating the clinical benefit of remdesivir,” Gilead told Reuters news agency.
Remdesivir received emergency use authorisation from the Food and Drug Administration in the US on May 1, and has since been given regulatory approval in several other countries.
Search for treatments continues
WHO began the Solidarity trial after a COVID-19 research forum in February recommended the evaluation of treatments for the disease and experts identified four repurposed antiviral drugs that could have at least a moderate effect on mortality.
[-] propargyl | 2 points | Nov 02 2020 07:26:53
'If you cast your mind back to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the talk was about treatments with US President Donald Trump asking questions about oral bleach and strongly promoting hydroxychloroquine which is now known not to work.
Things have moved on. We also know that certain anti-HIV drugs don't work either and that the antiviral remdesivir is disappointing.
But there are reports that monoclonal antibodies might work, that blocking the receptor for the virus might be promising and - returning to one of our early reports - that the anti-parasitic medication ivermectin has not yet fallen out of the race.'
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[-] propargyl | 2 points | Nov 02 2020 07:27:43
This is a recent radio broadcast that will soon be available at the link as a podcast and transcript.
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[-] propargyl | 2 points | Nov 02 2020 21:06:10
Audio podcast (7 min) is now available. Transcript should follow soon.
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[-] sexyguy__007 | 1 points | Nov 02 2020 14:09:50
Why is remedesivir disappointing isn't it showing positive signs for covid patients with mild to moderate exposure ?
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[-] propargyl | 1 points | Nov 02 2020 21:04:39
I found this from Oct 16th: WHO trial finds remdesivir has little effect on COVID-19.
Early results from large, randomised trial suggest antiviral does little to reduce mortality rates or time in hospital.
A World Health Organization trial using four drugs including the antiviral remdesivir in the hospital treatment of COVID-19 has found the repurposed medicines have little to no effect on the length of time patients spend in hospital or their survival.
“These Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir and Interferon regimens appeared to have little or no effect on hospitalized COVID-19, as indicated by overall mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay,” the researchers wrote in a preprint on the findings of the WHO’s Solidarity trial that was released on medRxiv.
The results have to yet to be peer-reviewed.
Remdesivir, developed for Ebola by US pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, was one of the earliest treatments put forward for COVID-19 and was taken by US President Donald Trump when he was admitted to hospital with the disease at the beginning of the month. Trump has also touted the use of hydroxychloroquine, as has Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro.
“It’s certainly disappointing,” Julie Fischer, an associate research professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Georgetown University told Al Jazeera. “What all of us would like to see is what is frequently called a ‘magic bullet’; a drug that’s already in existence, that is safe and works effectively in patients. Unfortunately, in this case, this trial at least suggests the benefits of remdesivir weren’t there at all.”
The randomised trial of the drugs took place in 405 hospitals across 30 countries and involved 11,266 patients. Some 2,750 people were allocated remdesivir, 954 hydroxychloroquine, 1,411 lopinavir, 651 interferon plus lopinavir, 1,412 only interferon, and 4,088 were given none of the study drugs.
In a statement, Gilead said it was “concerned” that the data from the trial had not undergone vigorous review, and that it was unclear whether any “conclusive findings” could be drawn from the results.
Earlier this month, data from a US study of remdesivir by Gilead showed the treatment cut patients’ COVID-19 recovery time by five days compared with patients who got a placebo in a trial comprised of 1,062 subjects.
“The emerging [WHO] data appears inconsistent, with more robust evidence from multiple randomised, controlled studies published in peer-reviewed journals validating the clinical benefit of remdesivir,” Gilead told Reuters news agency.
Remdesivir received emergency use authorisation from the Food and Drug Administration in the US on May 1, and has since been given regulatory approval in several other countries.
Search for treatments continues
WHO began the Solidarity trial after a COVID-19 research forum in February recommended the evaluation of treatments for the disease and experts identified four repurposed antiviral drugs that could have at least a moderate effect on mortality.
Follow the link for more details.
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[-] sexyguy__007 | 1 points | Nov 02 2020 21:06:23
As far as i can see hospitalized covid is definitely not a mild or moderate one so maybe that's why the disappointment.
Thanks btw
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[-] Z3rul | 1 points | Nov 03 2020 02:38:33
many of it's Clinical trials had mediocre results. it doesn't work
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[-] sexyguy__007 | 1 points | Nov 03 2020 07:49:19
Oh okay. I see some of my mates getting better with it that's why i was shocked that how is it disappointing but understand now.
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