According to the preliminary research results of a British biotech organization, an aerosol-based drug treatment regime could immensely constrict the death statistics caused to the coronavirus infection. Moreover, it also holds the potential to reduce the number of patients requiring admission in the intensive care unit due to the worsening of their health situation.
To study the same, a hundred patients with COVID-19 admitted to the hospital were enrolled in a randomized trial. The ones who received the inhalable version of the protein ‘interferon-beta’ recorded a 79 percent reduced risk of the virus’s capability to transform into a severe form. This was compared with the control group- patients who received a placebo.
Moreover, the former group was twice ahead towards making a full recovery as compared to the latter one.
Synairgen, the firm which pioneered the treatment named SNG001, said that these initial results showed massive success and could prove to be “a major breakthrough” in the fight against COVID-19.
Richard Marsden, the CEO of Synairgen, said, “We are all delighted with the trial results announced today, which showed that SNG001 greatly reduced the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients who progressed from requiring oxygen to requiring ventilation.”
The results published on Monday have not yet been peer-reviewed and the sample size is relatively small. But if confirmed the treatment could revolutionize the battle against the virus and help the world to live a coronavirus free life again.
The protein, Interferon beta, is found naturally and is more commonly used as a treatment for multiple sclerosis. As it guards the body against infections like COVID-19, the virus fights the protein, ceases its production, and claims the win over the immune system.
In patients who receive the protein by inhalation, a direct accumulation of the same in their lungs takes place. This triggers a strong immune response from the body to the virus, and can also be beneficial to patients whose immune system is deteriorated by the disease already.
“The results confirm our belief that interferon-beta … has huge potential as an inhaled drug to be able to restore the lung’s immune response,” said Tom Wilkinson, professor of respiratory medicine at the University of Southampton.
He said the trial showed SNG001 was effective in “enhancing protection, accelerating recovery and countering the impact of SARS-CoV-2 virus”.
The world is currently accelerating its moves towards the discovery of treatments which can drastically reduce, if not totally eradicate for the time being, the number of cases of COVID-19.
A number of countries announced their own proven method and combination of drugs that are helping them tackle the infection.
A team of researchers from the UK, headed by the University of Oxford, claimed that they had successfully diminished the possibility of death in patients who were severely hit with the virus. They said that they reached the achievement by delivering the commonly available steroid, dexamethasone.
After proven results of the anti-viral drug remdesivir started doing the rounds, many countries released the emergency authorizations for its use in the treatment of COVID-19.
