
In Focus: studying the COVID-19 pandemic – a Special Focus Issue
Infectious Diseases Hub has partnered with Future Virology to bring you exclusive access to articles and features in the recent Special Focus Issue.
Infectious Diseases Hub has partnered with Future Virology to bring you exclusive access to articles and features in the recent Special Focus Issue.
AstraZeneca and Oxford University (UK) have resumed the progress of their Phase III COVID-19 vaccine trial after investigating unexpected side effects in a patient enrolled in the trial in the UK.
The Oxford vaccine, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, has demonstrated strong immune responses to COVID-19 in patients, as well as a good safety profile, as the results of the Phase I/II trial are published.
In this interview we speak to José Javier García from Pivotal about his company´s involvement in a large-scale clinical trial testing the safety and efficacy of hyperimmune convalescent plasma treatment in COVID-19 patients.
Dexamethasone, a steroid drug typically used to treat inflammation in conditions such as arthritis and asthma, has recently been tested as part of the Recovery trial at Oxford University (UK), and results are looking positive.
The largest trial to date assessing the use of convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 has revealed that the treatment is effective in 76% of patients, with no adverse effects. Further research is needed to evaluate how to optimize this therapy.
Data from the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT) has demonstrated that remdesivir treatment reduces recovery time in patients hospitalized with severe SARS-CoV-2 infections, requiring supplemental oxygen therapy. The results support remdesivir as the standard treatment for patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
The first human trial testing a potential COVID-19 vaccine has been successful, with initial results suggesting the vaccine is safe and capable of generating an immune response against SARS-CoV-2 in humans.
Researchers and pharmacists have cautioned against the use of malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19, warning against premature optimism that these drugs are effective and safe for use in COVID-19 patients.
Sarah Gilbert, a professor of vaccinology at the University of Oxford (UK) believes she may have a vaccine ready by September of this year.