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Treatment of Covid-19: what promises success?

2020-03-28T15:51:24.349Z


Researchers in Germany and around the world are working intensively to find a remedy for the novel corona virus. A very old type of treatment and a kind of recycling method play an important role here.


Researchers in Germany and around the world are working intensively to find a remedy for the novel corona virus. A very old type of treatment and a kind of recycling method play an important role here.

Berlin (dpa) - The development of new drugs and vaccines against an illness usually takes years, often decades. The clinical trials in humans are particularly complex. But in times of the corona pandemic, things have to be done quickly. Experts therefore particularly hope for the success of two other approaches:

DEVELOPMENT OF ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

Active substances that have already been developed or partially developed for other diseases could help against the lung disease Covid-19. They could be used faster than if you were developing a new active ingredient.

REMDESIVIR: The active ingredient remdesivir is considered promising. The substance, which targets the virus directly, was originally developed against Ebola infections. Since it did not produce good results in the clinical trial at the time, the development was not followed up.

Because the first laboratory results in use against coronaviruses looked good, Remdesivir is being tested in two clinical studies in Germany, among others. The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) approved this on March 10.

The Munich Clinic Schwabing, the Hamburg University Hospital Eppendorf (UKE) and the University Hospital Düsseldorf are taking part in an international study in which the substance is to be tested in 600 patients with moderate symptoms and in 400 with severe symptoms. If the study is successful, the drug could reach the market by the end of 2020 at the earliest, said Munich chief physician Clemens Wendtner on Tuesday. The Düsseldorf university clinic Remdesivir has already used Covid 19 patients in selected individual cases.

FAVIPIRAVIR: There are several virus-fighting substances whose effectiveness against the pathogen Sars-CoV-2 is currently being tested, such as the flu agent favipiravir. These so-called virostatics are not without problems: "Viruses change and can become resistant," says Melanie Brinkmann, virologist at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig. Similar to antibiotics, resistance can also arise with antivirals.

HYDROXYCHLOROQUIN: Another highly traded active ingredient in the fight against Sars-CoV-2 is the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine. The active ingredient does not target the virus directly, but intervenes in cellular processes that exist for the virus, explains Brinkmann. A recent French clinical study on this was "not meaningful". The Berlin virologist Christian Drosten had also questioned the significance of the study. But that doesn't mean the drug is ineffective against the disease. A clinical trial was approved in Germany on Wednesday to investigate the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19. However, the substance has significant side effects.

So-called immunomodulators could also help against Covid-19. These drugs affect the human immune system. This can be useful because the body reacts very strongly to Sars-CoV-2 and can do even more damage in the lungs.

Regardless of this, scientists are also working on the development of completely new active ingredients. However, it will take many years for a drug to result. They will probably no longer play a role in the current pandemic.

ANTIBODY

Humans form antibodies against a wide variety of pathogens that enter the body - including the new corona virus. Neutralizing antibodies play a special role. "The neutralizing antibodies practically patrol in front of the cell and intercept the virus so that it cannot enter the cell," explains virologist Brinkmann. Even after a patient has recovered, the antibodies remain in the blood for at least a while.

The effect of most classic vaccinations is based on the formation of such antibodies. A clinically established method is to take antibodies from recovered people and give them to sick people. With these, the antibodies can then fight the respective pathogen. Theoretically, it is also conceivable that clinical staff might be given such antibodies as a preventive measure - but then they would have to be re-administered every two weeks, Brinkmann estimates.

The Hannover Medical School (MHH) is currently looking for people who were ill and recovered from Covid-19. With a blood plasma donation, they could soon also release antibodies for the sick. "We really want to try to help the seriously ill," said Rainer Blasczyk, director of the MHH Institute for Transfusion Medicine.

Clinics in New York are also trying to save lives with antibodies from recovered people, as the magazine "Nature" reported a few days ago. Since antibodies, unlike conventional medications, are the body's own substances, the side effects should generally be minor.

At the Technical University of Braunschweig (TU), human antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 can now be obtained in a test tube. In contrast to preparations from the blood of healthy patients, this opens up an inexhaustible source, emphasizes Brinkmann. However, these antibodies still have to be tested for their effectiveness.

"Neutralizing antibodies are currently the most promising for me," says Brinkmann. Such antibodies can now be produced biotechnologically in the laboratory. The use of monoclonal antibodies produced in the laboratory is possible in about three months.

MHH call video

Bfarm on coronavirus and approved studies

WHO incomplete overview of vaccine projects

DZIF PM from March 9th

DZIF PM from March 26th

Brinkmann at HZIF

Article in "Nature News"

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-03-28

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