An Oxford-based recovery trial that proved steroids were saving the lives of some coronary heart disease patients will now treat a combination of an associated but far more expensive new antibody.
In most NHS acute
hospitals, a portion of patients enrolled on a trial basis will be randomly
assigned’ to Regeneron’s experimental medicine, called REGN-COV2. The drug is a
combination of antibodies against the virus that kill two people. The company
had previously developed a similar antibody against Ebola.
Unlike dexamethasone,
which has been shown’ to save the lives of one in eight critically ill
patients, it is a drug invented for infectious diseases. It has successfully
passed animal studies and a Phase 1 safety trial and is now in the United
States in a phased manner.
Peter Horby, professor
of emerging infectious diseases and global health at Oxford University and
chief investigator of the case, said: "We have already discovered that one
treatment, dexamethasone, benefits patients with Covid 19, but not death. The
rate is very high so we must continue to look for others. The recovery trial
was specially designed’ so that when investigative drugs such as REGN-COV2 were
promised, they could be tested early. We look forward to seeing if REGN-COV2 is
safe and effective in the context of large-scale randomized clinical trials,
the only way to ensure that it acts as a treatment for Code 19.
Martin Landray, deputy
chief investigator of the case and professor of medicine and epidemiology,
said: "So far we are largely studying whether existing drugs can be
reintroduced to deal with this new disease, but We now have the opportunity to
evaluate the effects of a drug specially formulated to target this coronavirus. There are good reasons to be excited about this new development. The lab-developed
monoclonal antibody mixture will provide a strong overview of the therapeutic
effect.
Deputy Chief Medical
Officer Jonathan Van Tam said the recovery trial was recognized’ as the most
successful in the world. "Today's news is another relevant step in the
search for an effective cure, which will improve our ability to deal with this
devastating virus, and is a testament to the confidence that others around the
world have achieved in this wonderful way. He has confessed in the trial of
pregnancy and execution. "
But, while a very old
drug, and out of patent, dexamethasone, costs around 5 to treat a patient, if
this antibody cocktail works, its tolerance will also be’ questioned. ۔
"Novel antivirals
and monoclonal antibodies are among the most exciting and exciting treatments
for covid-19 because they are specific to the disease, but traditionally it's
the most They are also expensive.”
"Large-scale
randomized controlled studies such as Recovery give us a good idea of whether
drugs such as REGN-COV2 are safe and effective against Covid 19, but we need to
make sure that any successful treatment is universal. It is available to
everyone who needs it. "
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