The antiviral drug remdesivir has shown significant results in monkeys that had been infected with the novel coronavirus, a study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has revealed. The study, led by the its National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) involved two groups of six rhesus macaque monkeys that were intentionally infected with the respiratory disease. One group was treated with remdesivir while the second was not.
The first group of monkeys was given its first dose of the drug intravenously 12 hours after the initial infection, and then every day for a further six days. Twelve hours after the initial treatment, symptoms of COVID-19 in the monkeys had significantly improved and their conditions continued to improve during the rest of the trial.
At Home Study will Test if Common Drug can Prevent Serious COVID-19 Complications
An international study will test whether a common anti-inflammatory drug can ward off serious complications from COVID-19 and possibly prevent patients from ending up in the hospital. The study, which would involve 6,000 participants in the U.S., Canada and Europe, is designed to be “contactless” — participants will receive the drug, called colchicine, by mail, and will be monitored by phone or video visits. Participants will receive the drug within 48 hours of a COVID-19 diagnosis. Colchicine is a widely available drug used to treat gout, a type of arthritis that causes pain and swelling in the joints, particularly the big toe, according to the National Institutes of Health. The drug works by reducing joint pain, inflammation and swelling.
Hydroxychloroquine Takes Another Hit in Failed Small-scale COVID-19 Study
A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) study (PDF) found that severe COVID-19 patients treated with antimalarial hydroxychloroquine alone or in combination with antibiotic azithromycin showed “no evidence” of reduced risk of death or mechanical ventilation over supportive care, according to data posted Tuesday.
In a small-scale analysis of 368 COVID-19 patients treated in VA hospitals, researchers found there was no significant difference in ventilation risk for all three cohorts. Meanwhile, patients treated with hydroxychloroquine alone showed a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality over either supportive care of a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.