Topline results of a recent clinical trial showed that infliximab or abatacept “substantially improve[ed] clinical status and reduc[ed] deaths” in adult patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19. These drugs are often used to treat certain autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Read More »Last Friday, the FDA authorized emergency use of Eli Lilly’s monoclonal antibody treatment, bebtelovimab, for treating mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Bebtelovimab has been shown to be highly effective against the Omicron variant, and is the fourth treatment made available for high-risk COVID patients. It has not been proven whether bebtelovimab can prevent severe disease, but trial data suggest that bebtelovimab may reduce viral replication when taken within 7 days upon onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
Read More »On January 21, the FDA expanded the use of remdesivir to non-hospitalized adults and children who have mild-to-moderate COVID-19, who are at risk of severe disease. Previously, remdesivir was only available to hospitalized patients. This decision was based on a clinical trial including 562 participants with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, who had displayed symptoms within the previous 7 days and had at least one risk factor for severe disease.
Read More »Last Friday, Merck released a final analysis of its clinical trial for molnupiravir, their COVID-19 antiviral pill. An interim analysis stated molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization and death by 50%; it has now been lowered to 30%.
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