Thread by @kakape

Last week I wrote about some good news: The WHO‘s global trial looking for #covid19 drugs has restarted, now named SolidarityPlus.
Expect some more details in the @WHO presser that’s about to start, but here’s an overview of the drug candidates:

sciencemag.org/news/2021/08/g…

@WHO 1. imatinib
What?
cancer drug given orally
Why?
thought to protect epithelium lining the alveoli, where oxygen crosses from the lungs into the blood
Dutch trial in 400 hospitalized #COVID19 patients saw lower mortality, but not statistically significant
thelancet.com/journals/lanre…

(presser starting in Geneva, back to this after that)

2. infliximab
What?
antibody given as an infusion to treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis
Why?
it blocks tumor necrosis factor alpha, a pivotal molecule in the immune system
some observational data suggests people taking it may have less severe #covid19

3. artesunate
What?
injected malaria drug
Why?
appears to reduce inflammation and counteract signals that attract immune cells into tissues and so could help stop the immune reactions that damage the lungs in severe #COVID19

It’s important to remember that while some countries have vaccinated large parts of their populations, many have not. There are still more than 4 million cases and more than 60,000 deaths from #covid19 reported every week.
So the need for new and better treatments is still high.

Also interesting to note that all three drug candidates in SolidarityPlus essentially target the immune system and not the virus.
This is because researchers are pretty sure now that most hospitalised patients are too late in the disease to help them by attacking the virus.

Of course, there are already two drugs that dampen the immune system being sued to treat #coid19: dexamethasone and tocilizumab.
But researchers hope for more. As @agordonICU told me: "There are still other pathways that we can block and maybe make a difference."