[ad_1]
The vaccine is currently at the forefront of coronavirus news – where, how much, but more importantly, when can we get it? But the present is at least as important, and this is how active treatment of patients with severe or moderate conditions stands.
On Wednesday we received information about a drug called remdesivir, which is used in infusion in patients with pneumonia who require oxygen therapy and therefore are in serious condition, that the Hungarian state has ordered the production of another five thousand doses to Richter.
The company said in its response to our portal that they continue to develop remdesivir and continue to enjoy government support on this. Péter Szijjártó recently published new information on favipiravir, based on which we bought 1 million tablets from China and expect another million from Japan in the near future. This antiviral tablet can be given to those who have milder symptoms and do not necessarily need hospital treatment.
As far as I know, the operational tribe and the government have asked Richter to produce another dose of remdesivir.
– confirmed our information on Wednesday, academic Gábor L. Kovács, head of the Hungarian Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (Hecrin Consortium), who was also asked about the status of patients treated with remdesivir in the trial phase phase 3 clinical.
On October 28, Béla Merkely, Rector of Semmelweis University, reported 26 successful applications, and the director of Hecrin now told Index that
there are already more than 400 patients treated with remdesivir nationwide, and colleagues have not reported drug-related adverse events in all but one case, in which liver function has deteriorated.
The feedback is not official yet because the statistical processing has not finished yet. It is encouraging that the body of young patients has responded very effectively to the drug.
More and more hospitals are taking remdesivir
Initially, the treatment of coronary patients with remdesivir was started in seven institutions: the four medical universities (Debrecen, Semmelweis University, Pécs, Szeged), the South Pest Central Hospital, the Korányi and the St. John’s Hospital. This circle has been expanded at the request of the Secretary of State for Health, for which permits have already been obtained, so another good news is that
Remdesivir will soon be available for testing in Győr, Kiskunhalas, Miskolc, Nyíregyháza, Balassagyarmat, Szekszárd, Szolnok and Zalaegerszeg.
The professor highlighted, although it is gratifying to expand the scope of the study, but
the critical supply of drugs to an entire country in an emergency cannot be solved in a clinical trial,
small hospitals will not be able to handle the associated administration. Therefore, every effort should be made to effectively treat coronavirus patients with drugs that are in public or institutional circulation.
Hungarian favipiravir is being prepared
When switching to favipiravir, Gábor L. Kovács explained that originally we received enough doses from Japan for free to treat 100 patients, the drug is called Avigan. The sender had enough stipulations to bring the drug into a clinical trial and inform them of everything. In addition to us, 44 countries received favipiravir. But now that a million doses have just arrived from China, and we are waiting for the same batch from Japan, these two shipments have reached institutions and pharmacies, so it can be marketed without a clinical trial. All you have to do is write a minimal report on them.
In light of this, one should carefully consider whether it would be worthwhile to initiate a clinical trial of a previous consignment of 100 patients, as this would involve extremely lengthy and laborious documentation. Also, in this case, even in a control group, the effect of the placebo must be studied, which cannot be taken by anyone. The Hungarian preparation of favipiravir is also in production.
The project is being led by the Center for Research in Natural Sciences, Richter and Meditop, with the aim of creating a capsule, which has happened. It seems that by the end of December and the beginning of January, the Hungarian favipiravir tablet will be in a testable state and after that production may start soon.
The academic commented.
Whether two million doses of tablets from China and Japan are expected to go to pharmacies or institutions will depend on the government’s decision.
The HECRIN Consortium recommends that favipiravir be dispensed in pharmacies as well as institutions and that the GP prescribe it.
This would allow a non-hospitalized coronavirus patient easy access to the drug.
Therefore, Gábor L. Kovács hopes that the tablet will reach patients soon, but drew attention to an important factor from the beginning:
Careful sexual protection is essential in patients receiving favipiravir.
either on both sides, because if the person becomes pregnant during treatment, serious fetal complications can occur.
Not a lack of professionalism, but charity.
A recent WHO solidarity study found that several coronavirus drugs, such as lopinavir, interferon, or remdesivir, had little to no effect in Covid patients. Gábor L. Kovács said the study was quite popular in professional circles around the world, because the professionalism of the study was sacrificed to achieve the beneficial goal of getting as many people as possible on effective medications. This means, more understandably, that no control studies have been conducted and that countries and institutes that do not have much experience in clinical trials have been able to participate in the process. In fact, it happened that countries that otherwise did not have access to the mentioned drugs also received them in the course of the investigation. This was the reason why the European Union had previously decided not to fund this WHO study, and instead launched its own investigation called the ‘Discovery Trial’. Hungary will also participate in this study organized by the Hecrin Consortium.
(Top image: Fujifilm favipiravir tablet, also known as Avigan. Photo: Issei Kato / Reuters)
[ad_2]
