Remdesivir (Veklury) was the first drug accepted by the FDA on May 1, 2020, for treatment of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is designed for the treatment of COVID-19 disease in hospitalized adults and children aged 12 years who weigh at least 3.5 kg and older who weigh at least 3.5 kg to less than 40 kg. The broad-spectrum antiviral is a nucleotide analog prodrug. It is directed through injection into a vein
Modernized guidelines from the World Health Organization in November 2020 contain a provisional commendation against the utilization of remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19.
The study of 1,063 patients involved 538 who obtained remdesivir and 521 who were provided a placebo.
Those who obtained remdesivir improved in the middle of 11 days, compared to 15 days for those who obtained a placebo. Mortality in the remdesivir group was 7.1%, conmpared to 11.9% for the placebo group, but this disparity was not statistically significant. This is somewhat better than prior results.
Odds of development in the 8-point scale on day 15, was 50% high in the remdesivir group, a highly statistically noteworthy result
According to the paper of April 28, 2020, a sum of 391 patients in the remdesivir group and 340 in the placebo group had completed 29 days of the study, died, or recovered. There were still 132 patients in the remdesivir group and 169 in the placebo group who had not completed or recovered.
How is remdesivir provided to COVID-19 patients?
- The drug is given inside veins to hospitalized patients with COVID-19. People normally obtain an injection once a day for 5 to 10 days, depending on the severity of their condition.
- “We took engagement in the remdesivir trials, and we now provide the drug as a normal of care to the COVID-19 patients admitted to our hospitals,” said the doctor.
How does remdesivir aid patients with COVID-19?
The drug prevents the virus from producing a specific enzyme that is requisite for the virus to duplicate itself. Once this occurs, the virus is no longer able to multiply within the body.
- According to research, when patients with temperate COVID-19 obtain remdesivir, their symptoms enhance more rapidly. The drug has also been shown to abbreviate the duration of patient hospital stays. Among severely ill COVID-19 patients, remdesivir has been linked with fewer deaths.
How was Remdesivir used in history?
Before its present FDA approval and emergency use authorization, remdesivir was measured as an investigational drug. It was never utilized to treat many conditions, but it was considered a potential treatment for several diseases.
Initially, it was generated as a possible treatment for hepatitis. In 2014, it was examined as a possible treatment for the Ebola virus. Since then, its efficiency against other corona viruses was examined as viruses emerged. Researchers found remdesivir to be efficient against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), though the research was only carried out in test tubes and on animals, not in humans.
Side effects of Remdesivir:
The most common side effect in healthy volunteers has increased blood levels of liver enzymes (an indication of liver problems). The most widespread side effect in people with COVID-19 is nausea. Side effects may contain liver inflammation and an infusion-related reaction with nausea, low blood pressure, and sweating, pain, bleeding, bruising of the skin, tenderness, or swelling at the place where the medication was inserted.
Some side effects can be severe. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor right away or receive emergency medical treatment:
Yellow eyes or skin, dark urine, or pain or uneasiness in the right upper stomach area
Pregnancy situations:
- Pregnant patients were barred from the clinical trials that examined the protection and effectiveness of remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19, but preface reports of use in pregnant patients through the remdesivir concerned use program are encouraging.
- Amongst 86 pregnant and postpartum hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 who obtained compassionate use remdesivir, the therapy was well endured, with a low rate of serious bad events.
- Remdesivir should not be withdrawn from pregnant patients if it is otherwise specified.
How much is the cost of remdesivir?
· Indian drugmaker Cipla Ltd priced its general version of Gilead Sciences Inc's antiviral drug remdesivir for utilization in COVID-19 patients at less than INR 5,000 rupees ($66) , There are many companies now, offering this starting INR 800 ($12 USD) in India,
Covaxin
The vaccine is created using Whole-Virion Inactivated Vero Cell-derived stage technology. The non-activated vaccines do not duplicate and are therefore implausible to revert and create pathological effects. They surround dead viruses, unable of infecting people but still able to inculcate the immune system to grow a defensive reaction against an infection. It is a 2-dose vaccination regime given 28 days apart. It is a vaccine with no sub-zero storage, no reconstitution prerequisite, and ready-to-use liquid presentation in multi-dose vials, stable at 2-8 degree C.
Covishield
The covishield vaccine is prepared from a weak version of a common cold virus retrieved from chimpanzees.
It has been advanced to look like coronavirus- though it doesn't cause sickness.
Side-effects of the vaccines are pain, warmness in the body, redness, bulginess, burning sensation, fever, joint pain and headaches.
The rate of people getting vaccinated is growing tremendously which has reduced the spread of the disease. But, we can't forget that it is risky for a group of people including elders, children and pregnant women.
According to a survey, about 91% felt safe after taking a shot of the Covishield vaccine.
According to the healthcare workers, the public can take the vaccine shot without any doubtfulness.
According to the survey, about 79% have expressed they were worried about taking the vaccine.
Of 93.8% who got their first vaccine shot, about 6.2% did not get the shot because of many reasons such as side effects, pregnancy and worries.
Pfizer and Moderna
The foremost two COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. make use of messenger RNA(mRNA). It is a molecule that informs human cells to create a piece of the spike protein that the coronavirus utilizes to attach and contaminate human cells.
The foremost two COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. make use of messenger RNA(mRNA). It is a molecule that informs human cells to create a piece of the spike protein that the coronavirus utilizes to attach and contaminate human cells.
Johnson & Johnson
The vaccine to get emergency use endorsement in the United States utilizes another moderately new vaccine technology that squeezes a harmless adenovirus — a kind of virus that is responsible for the common cold — to convey the coronavirus spike protein directions. After many years of research, the foremost adenovirus vaccine — used to defend against the Ebola virus — was accepted in July 2020. Scientists reengineered the adenovirus in the COVID-19 vaccine so that it cannot duplicate and make the recipient ill, but it can still distribute the spike protein directions.
Thus, take care while you are facing covid-19 and consume remdesivir during emergency. Don't panic and consult your doctor as soon as possible and get treatment for the same.