How good is Remdesivir?
Discussion
Quickie; Remdesivir seems to have some positive things being said of it since Friday. Gilead Sciences stock has gone up on the back of 'promising results'.
How good is it? We can all read the papers and whatnot but in reality how likely is it to be a good treatment for C-19? Can anyone give any more information beyond that which is in the newspapers or do we take it at face value?
How good is it? We can all read the papers and whatnot but in reality how likely is it to be a good treatment for C-19? Can anyone give any more information beyond that which is in the newspapers or do we take it at face value?
Some recordings of a discussion about the results of a clinical trial have been leaked. These suggest that the the compound is effective against the virus. This is very unusual. Normally there is a moratorium on the release of clinical trial data until the study results are unblinded and published, because this affects the company's stock value (as you can see).
In this case, as far as I can tell, the study was not "controlled" ie there were no patients in the trial who didn't get the drug, which means one can't formally test efficacy against the control. That said the rumour is that treated patients recovered in a matter of days.
In summary. The drug looks like it works. That doesn't mean, by the way, that everyone who gets it will leap out of bed like Lazarus and run off down the corridor. Gilead are playing it down because they haven't analysed the data, so they don't want to come out and say it works yet, because the rumours may be exaggerated or even false.
Whats more, as far as I know, the drug is still at an early stage of clinical development. It might for example, be highly efficacious but make your nads turn green and drop off, or cause cancer, or have bad side effects in pregnant women, or any number of things that won't be clear until larger trials are done. A certain amount of work has been done in Ebola though, so maybe they have some safety data from that.
Don't expect it to be fully approved and released in the very short term.
Bottom line: looks promising, but don't be surprised if it isn't perfect.
In this case, as far as I can tell, the study was not "controlled" ie there were no patients in the trial who didn't get the drug, which means one can't formally test efficacy against the control. That said the rumour is that treated patients recovered in a matter of days.
In summary. The drug looks like it works. That doesn't mean, by the way, that everyone who gets it will leap out of bed like Lazarus and run off down the corridor. Gilead are playing it down because they haven't analysed the data, so they don't want to come out and say it works yet, because the rumours may be exaggerated or even false.
Whats more, as far as I know, the drug is still at an early stage of clinical development. It might for example, be highly efficacious but make your nads turn green and drop off, or cause cancer, or have bad side effects in pregnant women, or any number of things that won't be clear until larger trials are done. A certain amount of work has been done in Ebola though, so maybe they have some safety data from that.
Don't expect it to be fully approved and released in the very short term.
Bottom line: looks promising, but don't be surprised if it isn't perfect.
Edited by Astacus on Sunday 19th April 21:27
There are a host of anti-viral medications on the market some of which have been around for 30 years or so. If infected with Covid 19 and in ICU I would hope that the medics would be trying a whole host of things whether on or off the prescribing list. As long as they don't harm the breathing ability, like Zanamivir does, if I'm out of it under sedation they can dose me up with anything they want.
It's a "Hail Mary" situation so in reality they, and I, would have nothing to lose.
I am of course speaking as a 61 year old slightly obsese man with a penchant for industrial quantities of cheap lager. Those of a more lithe figure may take a different view.
The side effect of being completely cold sore free for the remainder of my life will be a cross I would bear with gratitude.
Tony.
It's a "Hail Mary" situation so in reality they, and I, would have nothing to lose.
I am of course speaking as a 61 year old slightly obsese man with a penchant for industrial quantities of cheap lager. Those of a more lithe figure may take a different view.
The side effect of being completely cold sore free for the remainder of my life will be a cross I would bear with gratitude.
Tony.
Ha! I hear what you are saying as a "slightly " over weight 59 year old with asthma and a certain quantity of lung material missing!
The problem is there are many thousands of different viruses and antivirals aren't a one size fits all micro beastie exterminator. They are often quite specific. So Rem doesn't kill Ebola but seems to do OK against Corona.
The problem is there are many thousands of different viruses and antivirals aren't a one size fits all micro beastie exterminator. They are often quite specific. So Rem doesn't kill Ebola but seems to do OK against Corona.
Jonesy23 said:
I think it's still as mediocre as it was in every other trial it went through.
The only reason it got so much attention in the past few days was someone doing a really obvious pump and dump hoping no-one would look too closely at the quality of the cited 'study'.
Interesting. Ive only seen one trial in Clinical Trials.Gov for Ebola. Nothing else other than Covid There are something like 12 trials either ongoing or completed in Covid right now. Probably a load more not listed in other jurisdictions, where the governments have OKd generic manufactureThe only reason it got so much attention in the past few days was someone doing a really obvious pump and dump hoping no-one would look too closely at the quality of the cited 'study'.
I guess the overnight news has answered my own question, eh?
https://www.ft.com/content/0a4872d1-4cac-4040-846f...
https://www.ft.com/content/0a4872d1-4cac-4040-846f...
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