1/ Excellent results for phase 3 placebo-controlled RCT in 🇺🇸 among mild-to-moderate #COVID_19 patients at high risk of clinical deterioration.
Cocktail of 700mg of #bamlanivimab & 1,400mg of #etesevimab reduced risk of hospitalizations & death by 87%.
2/ This press release needs to be taken with grain of salt. Among other limitations, it says nothing about different variants of concern.
3/ Concern now is that bamlanivimab is quite accessible in monotherapy, but not yet in combination w/ etesevimab.
In Oct 2020, @gatesfoundation signed a contract w/ Lilly & Fujifilm to manufacture more bamlanivimab. Could it now also include etesevimab?
4/
In 🇫🇷, emergency use of bamlanivimab monotherapy has raised concerns, particularly within context of variants of concern.
What should happen now? Should bamlanivimab be used in monotherapy or should we wait for companion etesevimab to be available?
5/
It is now crucial that @Lillypad discloses its plan to make the cocktail accessible around the world, including in LMICs. The company has had a relatively progressive access policy compared to Regeneron so far, hopefully it'll continue to be the case.
6/ Lastly let's continue to seek the holy grail of anti-SARS2 mAbs, e.g. a low-cost, low-dose cocktail for subcutaneous use.
Groups like @IAVI and CoVIC have been working with that target in mind. Fingers crossed.
2/
Keep in mind that this is a press release, not a scientific publication.
A point is particularly unclear in the press release, i.e. authors claim 588 patients were enrolled, but then later write they were 294 in proxalutamide group & 296 in control group.
294+296=590≠588.
3/
Detailed results were shared in Portuguese during this press conference in 🇧🇷
1/ Large RCT (n=930) in Barcelona, 🇪🇸: #calcifediol vs control among hospitalized #COVID_19 patients.
Strong clinical benefit: ↘️ICU admission & ↘️mortality.
Unclear to me why this preprint got unnoticed (published three weeks ago) ! #VitaminD papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…
2/
These new results confirm similar positive results for calcifediol generated in Cordoba in a smaller pilot RCT
3/
The new study in Barcelona has limitations: no placebo (open label); randomization per ward (not individual); modified intention to treat for some patients.
Yet results are very encouraging !
It was apparently submitted to @TheLancet. I hope it will get published soon.
Opening message by @PeterHotez. Peter is among other things editor of @PLOSNTDs. The journal recently agreed to include noma in the list of eligible diseases for publication. #NTDs
Noma survivor @FidelStrub tells his personal story. Underwent 27 surgical operations ! Moving testimony by a strong advocate !
Mouthwash solutions of PVP-I can be easily purchased OTC in many countries. Nasal sprays and eye drops are less easily accessible (i.e. not available OTC in France).
There have been other in vivo and in vitro studies over the last months. A tiny RCT from Singapore had previously found encouraging results.
1/ There have been several small RCTs over the last weeks suggesting a clinical benefit for #ivermectin for #COVID_19.
It’s time for a MEGA THREAD on ivermectin, aka the “wonder drug”!
Let's start the show !🔥🔥🔥
2/
Ivermectin belongs to the family of avermectins, which are natural fermentation products of soil bacteria. A Nobel Prize of Medicine was awarded for their discovery.
3/
Ivermectin is indicated for several parasitic infections: onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, strongyloidiasis, scabies. It works on head lice too. #NTDs
1/
In this thread, I’ll speak about #tocilizumab and challenges to access it. Tocilizumab is an anti-IL-6-receptor monoclonal antibody. It is a promising investigational drug to treat the cytokine storm associated with severe #COVID19.
2/
The cytokine storm (aka cytokine release syndrome) occurs when a high number of white blood cells are activated and release inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, which in turn activate more white blood cells.
3/
Tocilizumab is not an antiviral agent. Like other host focused therapies for COVID19, tocilizumab can be used in association with an effective antiviral and their combined actions may be complementary.