Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
AstraZeneca Kicks Off Early-Stage Trial Of COVID Antibody Treatment
NBC News: AstraZeneca Begins Early-Stage Trial Of COVID-19 Antibody Treatment
British drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had started early testing of an antibody-based treatment for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. In a statement sent to NBC News, the company said a Phase 1 clinical trial has begun for an monoclonal antibody combination, and will include up to 48 healthy participants to evaluate its safety and tolerability in human beings. (Gardiner, Talmazan and Reuters, 8/25)
Reuters: AstraZeneca Starts Trial Of COVID-19 Antibody Treatment
British drugmaker AstraZeneca has begun testing an antibody-based cocktail for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, adding to recent signs of progress on possible medical solutions to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The London-listed firm, already among the leading players in the global race to develop a successful vaccine, said the study would evaluate if AZD7442, a combination of two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), was safe and tolerable in up to 48 healthy participants between the ages of 18 and 55 years. (Aripaka and Aakash B, 8/25)
Stat: NIH Will Study Gilead's Remdesivir-Like Compound Against Covid-19
The National Institutes of Health plans to independently explore whether a Gilead Sciences (GILD) compound, which some academics maintain is highly similar to remdesivir, but which the company has deemphasized in its efforts, may be useful in combating Covid-19. The compound, called GS-441524, works in the same way as remdesivir to inhibit viruses, according to research that was conducted partly by the company (more here). But the compound has not been tested in humans and, for the past few months, a pair of researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has argued publicly that Gilead ought to run tests. (Silverman, 8/24)
CIDRAP: Remdesivir Of Scant Benefit In Hospitalized COVID Patients, Study Finds
The antiviral drug remdesivir had little effect in patients with moderate COVID-19 in 105 hospitals in the United States, Europe, and Asia in a randomized, controlled, open-label trial published late last week in JAMA, adding to a mixed picture of the drug in randomized clinical trials (RCTs), which are considered the gold standard for gauging interventions. Researchers compared the clinical status of 533 coronavirus patients who had moderate pneumonia and were randomly assigned to receive remdesivir for 5 or 10 days or standard care from Mar 15 to Apr 18. Remdesivir was given in a 200-milligram (mg) intravenous dose on the first day, followed by 100 mg a day. (Van Beusekom, 8/24)
The New York Times: Oleandrin, Covid-19 Treatment Pitched To Trump, Could Be Dangerous
A plant extract trumpeted last week as a “cure” for Covid-19 by the leader of a pillow company is untested and potentially dangerous, scientists say. Mike Lindell, the chief executive of My Pillow and a big donor to President Trump, told Axios that the president was enthusiastic about the drug, called oleandrin, when he heard about it at a White House meeting last month. ... The unsubstantiated claims alarmed scientists. No studies have shown that oleandrin is safe or effective as a coronavirus treatment. It’s unclear what dose the purported treatment would have, but ingesting even a tiny bit of the toxic shrub the compound comes from could kill you, experts say. (Murphy, 8/20)
