Good news on the covid front?

5 years ago

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2021/01/25/international-team-finds-new-more-effective-drug-treat-covid-19/6673529002/

From a rare marine sea squirt found only in the waters around the Spanish island of Ibiza comes a potential COVID-19 treatment called Aplidin that researchers say has proven 27.5 times more effective than the well-known remdesivir in human cells in the lab.

The finding, reported Monday by an international team in the journal Science, comes at a time when potential treatments have been overshadowed by the U.S. vaccination campaign, now trying to recover from a slower-than-expected start.

A related preprint that has yet to be peer-reviewed says that tests have shown the drug is equally effective against the highly infectious new variant of the virus discovered recently in the United Kingdom.

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Comments (10)

Ded tired
5 years ago
That is amazing. Too bad the sea squirt( ?) is so rare. Amazing discovery.
Elmer J Fudd
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
It's apparently not a new drug but an existing anti-cancer drug used for tumors that seems to have antiviral properties as well. The new "discovery" if proven may allow its use to treat hospitalized Covid patients who are quite ill.

There are existing avenues all individuals can pursue to survive the pandemic. Wearing a mask, minimizing and avoiding when possible close encounters with others (especially indoors and especially with family and friends) and adhering to guidelines from public health agencies are all effective tools. Get your immunization when your place in the queue comes up and remember that the immunity takes time to become established.
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Yayagal
5 years ago
I love learning about this, the future is getting brighter.
Elmer J Fudd
5 years ago
"I love learning about this, the future is getting brighter."

Indeed it is. That started six days ago. Did you catch what Fauci had to say about his experiences during the past year?
Annie Deighnaugh
Original Author
5 years ago
Elmer, prevention is one thing. But people are still acquiring the disease despite their best efforts. Especially now that more contagious strains are impacting us. Even people who have been vaccinated are getting the disease as it's not 100% effective. So, if we can come up with a treatment or cure to minimize its effects and deadliness, we are so much better off.

Friend's father is in his 80s and got covid, but was fortunate to get the monoclonal antibodies and is now doing well. The more tools to fight this thing, the better.
Elmer J Fudd
5 years ago
Yes, of course.

I was reminding people that treatment alternatives, etc., don't matter and can be avoided or the risks minimized with more thoughtful conduct and better personal choices. Once the pandemic got into full swing and the recommendations of public health experts were disseminated, I have to believe the number of avoidable and inadvertent exposures went down. With the exception of those in various types of institutional living places, whether senior centers, convalescent hospitals, prisons or whatever, many who have since sadly contracted the disease, other than those doing so from job conditions, were victims of their own bad judgement. They are as deserving of care and concern as anyone else but avoidable is avoidable.
rob333 (zone 7b)
5 years ago
annie and elmer are both right. It's going to take every tool in our arsenal to get through this. Not a time to be complacent and say, life is back to normal! for those of us that can keep this thing at bay until everyone is immunized.
bragu_DSM 5
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
next thing you know, they will recommend triple masking ...
wildchild2x2
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
next thing you know, they will recommend triple masking...

Already happening and rectal swab testing is on the horizon if we follow China.

Kudos to Merck for dropping their vaccine that showed lack of efficacy and focusing on developing drugs to treat. How long will it take to accept this is a virus that will not just simply be eradicated by preventative measures? We need to protect the most vulnerable and high risk and come up with treatments to lessen the severity of the illness.
Annie Deighnaugh
Original Author
5 years ago
I did just receive a package of KN95 masks and plan to use them...