Many people had high hopes for chloroquine, and its derivative hydroxychloroquine, two molecules presented by some as a miracle cure for Covid-19. This Wednesday, May 27, the administration of chloroquine to treat patients with coronavirus has been prohibited outside of clinical trials.
In addition, in recent days, numerous clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of this anti-malarial against Covid-19 have been stopped. Indeed, after a craze manifested by certain specialists, the molecule finally seems to be ineffective against coronavirus and dangerous for patients.
But alongside the controversial chloroquine, many avenues of treatment are being studied in France and around the world. If none has yet definitively proven its effectiveness, several molecules are being tested. Here are 8.
1. Azithromycin
If this name tells you anything, it is probably because this molecule, azithromycin, is prescribed in combination with hydroxychloroquine in the protocol of Professor Raoult. It is an antibiotic, but has shown in vitro activity on certain viruses.
General practitioners in the East have implemented a protocol that combines azithromycin with zinc, known to improve the effectiveness of the antibiotic. However, the French Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics explains that there are currently “very few scientific arguments in favor of a specific benefit of azithromycin”.
2. The ABX464
Behind this barbaric name hides a molecule of a French company, Abivax. The ABX464 is presented as “a molecule with a potential triple effect, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and tissue repair“Its testing was authorized in France on May 15.
ABX646 is said to have an action on “thunderstorm”, that is to say a runaway of the immune system, and the hyper-inflammation caused by Covid-19. These two mechanisms are responsible for the acute respiratory distress syndrome. It also slows the viral replication of the coronavirus in vitro in a model of human respiratory epithelium.
3. Remdesivir
On April 28, a study showed that Remdesivir, an antiviral created to fight against Ebola, accelerated the healing of patients, although it has only a small impact on mortality, close to the statistical error threshold. These results have since been confirmed by another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
On average, treated patients recovered in 11 days from Covid-19, compared to 15 days for patients on placebo. On the other hand, researchers note molecule is only really useful if given early to patients. It is not very effective for those already on an artificial respirator. EIDD 2801, close to remdesivir, is also being studied, reports Doctor’s Daily.
4. Tocilizumab
The tocilizumab immunomodulator “significantly” reduced the proportion of patients who had to be transferred to intensive care or died, according to results made public by the AP-HP on April 5. This commonly used treatment for polyarthritis has shown its effect on patients with severe forms of Covid-19.
A Chinese study confirms these results. A trial on 20 patients concluded with the remission of 90% of the patients and the disappearance of pulmonary opacities created by disease. This molecule is the subject of several tests, in particular on the part of the World Health Organization (WHO).
5. Ivermectin
Ivermectin is an anti-parasite used against intestinal worms or the mites responsible for scabies. An Australian study found that this molecule kills the new coronavirus in 48 hours in a petri dish.
American researchers conducted a study, cited by Le Figaro, taking up the medical files of 1,400 people, half of whom treated with ivermectin, in 169 hospitals. 1% of patients treated with ivermectin died, compared to 8% of other patients. These results, observed a posteriori, must nevertheless be confirmed by a clinical trial.
6. The Avigan
Avigan is the brand name for favipiravir. This drug is authorized in Japan only against epidemics of influenza against which existing treatments prove to be ineffective. It is not available for sale and can only be produced and distributed at the request of the Japanese government. Favipiravir works by blocking the ability of a virus to replicate inside a cell.
Initial results indicate that this treatment could help shorten the healing time of patients and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology reported “very good clinical results,” reports theAFP. Some five clinical trials are currently underway around the world, in the United States, Italy and Japan.
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7. Interferon alpha-2b
Interferon alpha-2b is an anti-viral drug commonly used to treat hepatitis C. American researchers treated 77 patients. One part received interferon alpha-2b, another part of arbidol (anti-viral against influenza) and the last part with a combination of molecules.
The first results note a reduction in the presence of the coronavirus in the respiratory tract, as well as a decrease in the inflammatory markers responsible for “cytokine storms”. They add that a patient treated with interferon alpha-2b did not need respiratory assistance.
8. The plasma of cured patients
This is not a molecule, but a transfer of plasma from cured patients to the sick. Human plasma contains several elements, including antibodies that may have been developed by patients with Covid-19. A clinical trial was launched in France on April 7.
