Coronavirus update: What treatments can we expect for this deadly virus?

For the first time in India, anti-HIV drugs were administered to an elderly Italian couple undergoing treatment at a Jaipur hospital for Covid-19. Here are other treatment options in the pipeline

By: Editorial Team | Edited by: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: March 11, 2020 5:00 pm

A US biotech firm has begun clinical trial of the antiviral medicine remdesivir in Covid-19 patients.

Scientists are yet to find the cure for the deadly coronavirus or COVID-19. Meanwhile, clinical trials are going on different drugs and experimental therapies to treat the virus. Doctors in many countries are also using anti-HIV drugs to treat people infected with coronavirus. However, its effectiveness is not clear yet.

Meanwhile, anti-HIV drugs were administered to an elderly Italian couple undergoing treatment at a Jaipur hospital for COVID-19. This is the first case of usage of this combination drug in our country after the Drug Controller General of India approved restricted application of lopinavir and ritonavir, combined together, for treating COVID-19 patients. The Italian couple was given the drugs after they developed severe respiratory problems. The combination of lopinavir and ritonavir, along with other drugs, has been used in clinical trials in China. It has also been used in Thailand for treating coronavirus patients. However, the efficacy of these combination drugs is yet to be proved.

In India, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has so far confirmed 60 cases of coronavirus. However, according to some reports, the total number of cases has gone up to 62. With the numbers of people affected by this deadly virus going up alarmingly, finding an effective cure and preventive measure is the need of the hour. Here is what we can expect, while it comes to taming the constantly increasing base of people fighting against COVID-19.

CORONAVIRUS DRUGS AND VACCINES IN DEVELOPMENT

In the absence of any established treatments, pharmaceutical companies are proposing different drugs and experimental therapies for COVID-19. Here are some of the most talked-about drugs and vaccines to treat or prevent coronavirus infection.

Remdesivir

A US biotech firm has begun clinical trial of the antiviral medicine remdesivir in Covid-19 patients. While the world awaits the results of the trail, the company has accelerated production of the drug to increase its supplies as rapidly as possible. Remdesivir is a drug originally developed to treat Ebola. Some researchers hope this drug can be an effective treatment for coronavirus. It has already been used to treat one infected patient in the U.S. is also being studied in smaller trials in China and the U.S.

mRNA-1273

This vaccine candidate was identified just 42 days after the novel coronavirus was sequenced. The company behind it is planning to launch a study next month with the National Institutes of Health. If the mRNA-1273 study proves successful in protecting against the coronavirus infection, the two organizations plan to enrol hundreds more patients.

Man-made mRNA

Another company is also working on a potential vaccine for coronavirus. It uses man-made mRNA to spur the production of proteins. The company plans to begin human testing within a few months. The company is also working on a mobile mRNA manufacturing technology. It may allow health care workers to rapidly produce vaccines to respond at the site of an outbreak.

Published : March 11, 2020 3:18 pm | Updated:March 11, 2020 5:00 pm

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