Kaemin Tosasuk, Class of 2023
As of today, there are at least 1,719,827 cases of COVID-19 and 101,171 deaths attributed to the virus in America (1). In the upcoming months, the number of new cases is expected to decrease due to warmer temperatures (2). However, without an apparent vaccine or cure for the infectious disease, it is unlikely that there will be a sharp decline in COVID-19 cases anytime soon.
Nonetheless, due to the urgency of this situation, research universities and biomedical companies have rapidly sought out to develop new treatments and drugs to combat the coronavirus.
For instance, a group of researchers from the National Institutes of Health, have tested the anti-viral drug, Remdesivir, in clinical trials (2). This drug inhibits the function of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and has been found to decrease recovery time and lung damage in patients. Due to its promising clinical results, Remdesivir has been approved for emergency use in America, Japan, and the UK. However, according to the clinical trials, there was still a high mortality rate in patients treated with Remdesivir, thus illustrating that the use of this antiviral drug alone is not likely to be sufficient in treating patients with COVID-19. Instead, the researchers recommend using Remdesivir in conjunction with other therapeutic or antiviral approaches (2).
Moreover, according to a recent news release from the University of Washington, an antibody that neutralizes COVID-19 and other members of the coronavirus family has been identified (3). The S2309 antibody, as it is called, was found in the blood of a patient who suffered from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003. This antibody was found to target the spike proteins which allow for the entry of coronaviruses into cells. Thus, due to this ability, researchers hope that S2309 could be used for preventative treatments in high-risk populations or as a treatment to reduce the severity of the infection in those already exposed to COVID-19 (3). However, due to the lack of information regarding the efficacy of S2309 in humans, many additional tests and clinical trials are required before this antibody can be widely used.
Along with these promising new COVID-19 treatments, vaccines have also been in development under Operation Warp Speed, which is a partnership between multiple biomedical firms and the United States government (4). Under this operation, the mass production and testing of multiple vaccines is promoted by the government, thus allowing for rapid distribution if one of the vaccines is proven to be “safe and effective.” However, this operation has been criticized for being “overly optimistic” due to its proposed timeline of creating 300 million ready-to-use vaccine doses by the end of 2020 (5). Researchers worry that many regulatory and safety measures would have to be bypassed to meet this aggressive deadline. Nevertheless, the administration remains confident that this deadline will be reached, with the Secretary of Defense claiming that the vaccine could be ready as early as this fall.
One company, Moderna, has garnered much attention under Operation Warp Speed for its attempts to develop a messenger RNA vaccine (6). Unlike traditional vaccines, which require the inactivation of the whole virus or the isolation of its proteins, mRNA vaccines utilize synthetic RNA which is injected into living cells, allowing for them to create their own antibodies and therapies for the virus. In theory, this approach would allow for the faster creation of a vaccine and would be useful for combating viruses which are prone to mutations, such as the coronaviruses. However, no mRNA vaccine or drug has ever been approved for human use, thus there are still many concerns regarding the potential of this vaccine.
Nonetheless, Moderna’s mRNA vaccine has passed its initial safety checks and reached stage 2 of clinical studies. Moreover, Moderna has claimed that individuals were observed to create “neutralizing antibodies” in response to their mRNA vaccine (6). Thus, this vaccine shows great promise and is one of the leading candidates under Operation Warp Speed. However, because stage 2 of clinical studies tend to require about 15 months of patient observation, it may still take a while for the vaccine to be ready unless regulations are bypassed by the FDA.
As the number of new cases and deaths continue to rise, it is of utmost importance to maintain social-distancing practices in order to prevent the further spread of this virus. Although there is still much uncertainty, the continued work of the scientific community provides hope of a return to normalcy and a life without quarantine in the upcoming future.
References:
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/US/warmer-weather-slow-coronavirus/story?id=70612437
Antibody neutralizes SARS and COVID-19 coronaviruses. (2020, May 18). Retrieved from https://newsroom.uw.edu/news/antibody-neutralizes-sars-and-covid-19-coronaviruses
Beigel, J. H., Al., E., For the ACTT-1 Study Group Members*, Author AffiliationsFrom the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hirsch, R. D., D. R. Boulware and Others, & J. H. Beigel and Others. (2020, May 27). Remdesivir for the Treatment of Covid-19 - Preliminary Report: NEJM. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2007764
Cases in the U.S. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html
Naylor, S. D. (2020, May 28). Defense secretary says coronavirus vaccine will be available within months, but experts skeptical. Retrieved from https://news.yahoo.com/defense-secretary-says-coronavirus-vaccine-will-be-available-within-months-but-experts-skeptical-203002425.html
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020, May 15). Trump Administration Announces Framework and Leadership for 'Operation Warp Speed'. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/05/15/trump-administration-announces-framework-and-leadership-for-operation-warp-speed.html
Warren, P. B., Marques, D., & Colorized scanning electron micrograph by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020, July 28). Moderna's mRNA vaccine reaches its final phase. Here's how it works. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/05/coronavirus-vaccine-passes-first-human-trial-but-is-it-frontrunner-cvd/#close
Picture: https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/03/26/genomic-research-points-to-natural-origin-of-covid-19/
Nonetheless, due to the urgency of this situation, research universities and biomedical companies have rapidly sought out to develop new treatments and drugs to combat the coronavirus.
For instance, a group of researchers from the National Institutes of Health, have tested the anti-viral drug, Remdesivir, in clinical trials (2). This drug inhibits the function of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and has been found to decrease recovery time and lung damage in patients. Due to its promising clinical results, Remdesivir has been approved for emergency use in America, Japan, and the UK. However, according to the clinical trials, there was still a high mortality rate in patients treated with Remdesivir, thus illustrating that the use of this antiviral drug alone is not likely to be sufficient in treating patients with COVID-19. Instead, the researchers recommend using Remdesivir in conjunction with other therapeutic or antiviral approaches (2).
Moreover, according to a recent news release from the University of Washington, an antibody that neutralizes COVID-19 and other members of the coronavirus family has been identified (3). The S2309 antibody, as it is called, was found in the blood of a patient who suffered from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003. This antibody was found to target the spike proteins which allow for the entry of coronaviruses into cells. Thus, due to this ability, researchers hope that S2309 could be used for preventative treatments in high-risk populations or as a treatment to reduce the severity of the infection in those already exposed to COVID-19 (3). However, due to the lack of information regarding the efficacy of S2309 in humans, many additional tests and clinical trials are required before this antibody can be widely used.
Along with these promising new COVID-19 treatments, vaccines have also been in development under Operation Warp Speed, which is a partnership between multiple biomedical firms and the United States government (4). Under this operation, the mass production and testing of multiple vaccines is promoted by the government, thus allowing for rapid distribution if one of the vaccines is proven to be “safe and effective.” However, this operation has been criticized for being “overly optimistic” due to its proposed timeline of creating 300 million ready-to-use vaccine doses by the end of 2020 (5). Researchers worry that many regulatory and safety measures would have to be bypassed to meet this aggressive deadline. Nevertheless, the administration remains confident that this deadline will be reached, with the Secretary of Defense claiming that the vaccine could be ready as early as this fall.
One company, Moderna, has garnered much attention under Operation Warp Speed for its attempts to develop a messenger RNA vaccine (6). Unlike traditional vaccines, which require the inactivation of the whole virus or the isolation of its proteins, mRNA vaccines utilize synthetic RNA which is injected into living cells, allowing for them to create their own antibodies and therapies for the virus. In theory, this approach would allow for the faster creation of a vaccine and would be useful for combating viruses which are prone to mutations, such as the coronaviruses. However, no mRNA vaccine or drug has ever been approved for human use, thus there are still many concerns regarding the potential of this vaccine.
Nonetheless, Moderna’s mRNA vaccine has passed its initial safety checks and reached stage 2 of clinical studies. Moreover, Moderna has claimed that individuals were observed to create “neutralizing antibodies” in response to their mRNA vaccine (6). Thus, this vaccine shows great promise and is one of the leading candidates under Operation Warp Speed. However, because stage 2 of clinical studies tend to require about 15 months of patient observation, it may still take a while for the vaccine to be ready unless regulations are bypassed by the FDA.
As the number of new cases and deaths continue to rise, it is of utmost importance to maintain social-distancing practices in order to prevent the further spread of this virus. Although there is still much uncertainty, the continued work of the scientific community provides hope of a return to normalcy and a life without quarantine in the upcoming future.
References:
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/US/warmer-weather-slow-coronavirus/story?id=70612437
Antibody neutralizes SARS and COVID-19 coronaviruses. (2020, May 18). Retrieved from https://newsroom.uw.edu/news/antibody-neutralizes-sars-and-covid-19-coronaviruses
Beigel, J. H., Al., E., For the ACTT-1 Study Group Members*, Author AffiliationsFrom the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hirsch, R. D., D. R. Boulware and Others, & J. H. Beigel and Others. (2020, May 27). Remdesivir for the Treatment of Covid-19 - Preliminary Report: NEJM. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2007764
Cases in the U.S. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html
Naylor, S. D. (2020, May 28). Defense secretary says coronavirus vaccine will be available within months, but experts skeptical. Retrieved from https://news.yahoo.com/defense-secretary-says-coronavirus-vaccine-will-be-available-within-months-but-experts-skeptical-203002425.html
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020, May 15). Trump Administration Announces Framework and Leadership for 'Operation Warp Speed'. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/05/15/trump-administration-announces-framework-and-leadership-for-operation-warp-speed.html
Warren, P. B., Marques, D., & Colorized scanning electron micrograph by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020, July 28). Moderna's mRNA vaccine reaches its final phase. Here's how it works. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/05/coronavirus-vaccine-passes-first-human-trial-but-is-it-frontrunner-cvd/#close
Picture: https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/03/26/genomic-research-points-to-natural-origin-of-covid-19/
Proudly powered by Weebly