IBPS and SBLehrer LLC are releasing the next update of clinical efforts for treatments and vaccines for Covid19. As we stated when we started this effort, Our goal is to highlight the actual work and results from studies around the world to aid in decision making, not follow the 24 hour news cycle hype.
We are currently tracking worldwide progress on the following:
– Prophylaxis treatment of Covid19 for at risk Population like Medical staff
– Treatment options for Infected Patients
– Vaccines for Healthy People
Several major development occurred since our last update.
- Anti-virals: The big new was Emergency Use Approval by US FDA and Japanese Approval for Remdesivir which showed Remdesivir cut hospital stays by 31 percent compared to a placebo. Gilead Sciences also reached agreement with several leading Generic Drug Manufacturers to ramp up production worldwide. Equally impressive is progress seen in trials with other anti-virals such as Lopinavir/ Ritonavir in combo with an old antiviral Ribavrin and INF-Beta and separate trials with Favipiravir show promising initial results. One imagines this will look like HIV/AIDS where a combination of anti-virals depending on whether given early or later in disease progression. More trial data is needed to determine which anti-viral works best throughout the course of Covid19 infection.
- Hydroxychloroquine: Hydroxycholorquine was the early front-runner of a viable treatment. Recent data is showing limited efficacy. Given the drug has know Long QT/ Ventricular tachycardia side effect, it is not generally safe for everyone to use. US FDA amended its Emergency Use Approval for use only when in a hospital setting where side effects can be managed. Robust clinical trials are ongoing to determine where best to use Hydroxycholorquine for treating Covid19
- Stem cells continue to show positive signs. Three additional trials showed very high recovery rates with severe patients. Almost 100 patients have seen significant improvement with use of stem cells
- Biopharmaceuticals for auto-immune disease slowing down the “cytokine storm” to show positive signs using various IL antagonists was an early leading approach with the assumption the “cytokine storm” was causing patients to rapidly decline. Trial data to date is very mixed with some promising data in severe patients. Similar to Anti-virals more trails will be needed to see when to best use these drugs and the associated benefits.
- In the Vaccine world there was lots of early data showing various vaccine candidates appeared safe and subjects developed SARS-Cov-2 antibodies/spike protein Antibodies. Moderna and CanSino Biologics had the most promising human data, although very limited in scope. Equally important, basically all leading Vaccine Candidates are lining up the necessary manufacturing capacity to manufacture ”at risk”. The goal is to have 100’s of millions of doses of vaccine available by early 2021 if any leading candidate continues to show promise. While most will fail, Governments led by the US are funding this production to ensure rapid distribution of any vaccine demonstrating safety and efficacy
We look to update this summary in the next two weeks. As before, please help us by adding any information you see missing from the summary.
Thanks for your help in this journey