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A recent study led by a team of UK researchers at the University of Cambridge and Barts Health has found that remdesivir is likely to be a highly effective antiviral agent against SARS-CoV-2. The lack of effective antiviral drugs against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been an obvious problem since the beginning of the pandemic. Researchers and clinicians alike have been searching for a potential therapy that can fulfill this much-needed role.
At first, there were hopes that remdesivir, which was originally developed to treat hepatitis C and later found effective against Ebola, could be used as an antiviral against COVID-19. However, a large clinical trial showed results that were inconclusive, and the World Health Organization later announced that remdesivir did not significantly reduce death rates.
However, the researchers behind the study believed that the subject was much more complicated and decided to investigate it further. The study, published in Communications from nature, approached the use of remdesivir as an antiviral agent differently to determine its effects in a closely monitored COVID-19 patient.
The patient was a 31-year-old man with the rare genetic condition XLA, which affects the body’s ability to produce antibodies and fight infections. The patient reported fever, cough and vomiting and was later diagnosed with COVID-19. After 30 days of persistent symptoms, he was admitted to a hospital and received supplemental oxygen. The researchers implemented a 10-day course of remdesivir and within 36 hours, they saw a dramatic improvement in their symptoms.
The clinical response to remdesivir was accompanied by a progressive decrease in the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is produced by the liver in response to inflammation. Doctors also observed an increase in the number of lymphocytes and performed chest scans that showed the removal of lung inflammation. The patient was discharged from the hospital on day 43, but was readmitted and again tested positive for COVID-19 on day 54. Another cycle of remdesivir was administered, followed by convalescent plasma therapy on days 69 and 70. He was discharged from released 3 days later and has been symptom free since.
“Our patient’s unusual condition gave us a rare insight into the effectiveness of remdesivir as a treatment for coronavirus infection,” said Nicholas Matheson, a physician at the Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Diseases. “The dramatic response to the drug – repeatedly challenge: suggests that it can be a very effective treatment, at least for some patients.”
The team suspects that remdesivir should be used early in the disease course, as this is when it is likely to be most beneficial. They also suggest that the use of therapy should be tailored to each individual patient depending on the underlying conditions.
