The Earth is grappling with an invisible, deadly enemy and we people are trying to understand how to live with the threat posed by the virus. On 31 December 2019, China had witnessed an outbreak of pneumonia of unknown cause. Later on 11 March 2020, WHO had declared the outbreak into a pandemic caused by Corona Virus. As this virus stretched its wings all over the world, the urge of survival paves the way for developing a new vaccine, “Remdesivir” at once.
Is the innovation of Remdesivir a life changing factor?
Remdesivir is an antiviral medication developed by US-based biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences. In accordance with ICMR Former Director General, Dr.Nirmal K.Ganguly. Remdesivir is a nucleotide which stops the RNA viral replication including SARS-CoV-2 preventing the mutation and multiplication of virus.US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases(NIAID) has announced a clinical trial in more than 1000 people and they had recovered on an average of 11 days, compared with 15 days for those on dummy treatment. Amidst the atrocious situation, China and the USA are having an issue based on the efficiency of Remdesivir as China had found no benefits from the drug. However, there is a lot of focus on large NIAID trial which provides us with the first glance of the drug that works against Corona Virus.
Limiting the economic damage and reduction of deaths, therapies also play a crucial role, but the result was negative when compared with the vaccine. People show fever with side effects like nausea and cardiopulmonary failure while medicated with Remdesivir. For this, the Virologist Griffin says that “It may not be the wonder drug that everyone is looking for, but if you can stop some patients from becoming critically ill, that’s good enough”.Even before the NIAID results were out, Gilead had speed up the production of drug and by March they produced enough to treat 30,000 patients. Also, a five-day course of treatment instead of ten could work just as well. Researchers all over the world are outrageously testing different therapies. Till now experiments on patients with medications like Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine(malarial drugs), a mix of two HIV drugs called Lopinavir-Ritonavir and IL-6(inhibiting the action of an immune system regulator) have been conducted.
So far these medications have met with mixed results. On the note of Dr.Fauci, Director of NIAID, Remdesivir has a clear cut, significant positive effect in diminishing the time for recovery.
According to the Great Revolutionist Nelson Mandela: “May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears”. Let’s hope for a better tomorrow to have an impact on the pandemic through the drug Remdesivir.
-ANCY ANNA KURIAN
Ref: Nature,Hindustan Times, BBC News
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