New advancements in the treatment of Coronavirus (Covid-19) may happen in the next few months, per reports that suggested rapid progress on that front.
The focus is on monoclonal antibody therapies being advanced by some pharmaceutical companies with clinical trials in progress. One of them Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has shared details of the drugs planned to test on humans.
Comprehensive approach
The REGN-COV2 cocktail will comprise two antibodies that could block the virus’s “spike protein” and enhance the patients’ temporary immunity and prevent the mutation of the virus. It will also prevent “escaping” of the virus in mutant forms when the treatment is on.
In a statement, Regeneron’s President and Chief Scientific Officer George D. Yancopoulos said, the company has created a unique anti-viral antibody cocktail that can prevent and treat the infection with the additional capability to pre-empt the ‘escape’ of the virus during the therapy.
This medication seeks to incorporate chemical substances to block the replication of the virus in an infected person. This drug will address the limitation of single treatment that was unable to check mutants’ survival and their multiplication despite the therapy.
Yancopoulos exuded optimism that the drug REGN-COV2 will “provide needed treatment for those sick and could be available much sooner than a vaccine.”
The world needs multiple solutions for COVID-19, and the biopharma industry is working hard to help with a variety of approaches, the drug expert noted.
The immune system also seeks to do the same thing when a new pathogen enters the system. The human body generates special antibodies to counteract infection and try to raise immunity against future infections.
Compared to vaccines monoclonal antibodies are more effective as they provide short-term immunity to patients and helps people to fight the virus on their own.
Vaccines on their part train the body to produce the right antibodies to prevent the particular infection.
According to the company, monoclonal antibody drugs contain more than one effective antibody and may be able to prevent the escape via mutation before its neutralization. Virus escapes when pressure mounts from an anti-viral therapeutic action triggering mutant forms that seek to evade the therapy’s blocking action.
Regeneron conducted trials on mice and analyzed human antibodies from COVID-19 survivors. It selected the two most potent ones and combined them into a single drug.
Blood clots under scrutiny
Meanwhile, scientists in London are about to test an experimental drug to prevent deadly blood clots associated with Covid-19. It was reported one-third of hospitalized coronavirus patients developed harmful blood clots.
A trial backed by the British Heart Foundation will test the drug TRV027 that can rebalance hormones involved in blood pressure, salt, and water.
The test will reveal whether the blood clots are a fallout of the hormone imbalance after the coronavirus infection.
Scientists from Imperial College London believe when the virus enters a human body it uses an enzyme as a handle to access the cells. This disables the enzyme’s power of balancing key hormones and blood becomes sticky and clotting begins.
Scientists hope TRV027 may prove useful in restoring this rebalancing role, per BBC News.
