scholarly journals Remdesivir for Early COVID-19 Treatment of High-Risk Individuals Prior to or at Early Disease Onset—Lessons Learned

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 963
Author(s):  
Lars Dölken ◽  
August Stich ◽  
Christoph D. Spinner

After more than one year of the COVID-19 pandemic, antiviral treatment options against SARS-CoV-2 are still severely limited. High hopes that had initially been placed on antiviral drugs like remdesivir have so far not been fulfilled. While individual case reports provide striking evidence for the clinical efficacy of remdesivir in the right clinical settings, major trials failed to demonstrate this. Here, we highlight and discuss the key findings of these studies and underlying reasons for their failure. We elaborate on how such shortcomings should be prevented in future clinical trials and pandemics. We suggest in conclusion that any novel antiviral agent that enters human trials should first be tested in a post-exposure setting to provide rapid and solid evidence for its clinical efficacy before initiating further time-consuming and costly clinical trials for more advanced disease. In the COVID-19 pandemic this might have established remdesivir early on as an efficient antiviral agent at a more suitable disease stage which would have saved many lives, in particular in large outbreaks within residential care homes.

Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 42-43
Author(s):  
Brad S. Kahl ◽  
Anik R. Patel ◽  
Omer Zaidi ◽  
Sonya J. Snedecor ◽  
Anna G. Purdum

ABSTRACT Introduction: Patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas (iNHL), including follicular lymphoma (FL), have high response to first-line treatment. However, retreatment is often required when relapses occur, and those with multiple relapses represent a patient population with an unmet need for effective treatment. Clinical data for several treatment options exist for the general relapsed and refractory (R/R) population; however, there are relatively fewer data specific to FL patients with ≥2 lines of prior treatment. This work systematically identified the available efficacy data in the double R/R FL population. Methods: The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched through February 10, 2020. Studies were limited to interventional clinical trials of R/R FL patients (or mixed histologies with a predominance of FL) and articles published in English. Studies also must have reported one or more efficacy measures, such as overall response rate (ORR), complete response (CR), duration of response (DoR), time to next treatment (TTNT), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Potential interventions of interest were lenalidomide ± rituximab (R), duvelisib, ibrutinib, venetoclax, polatuzumab vedotin + R, obinutuzumab, copanlisib, umbralisib, idelalisib, and tazemetostat. Results: Of 35 publications examining treatment outcomes in R/R FL patients, only 14 (representing 5 unique clinical trials) were specific to the ≥ 2-line population. These trials were: CHRONOS Part B (copanlisib), DAWN (ibrutinib), DELTA (idelalisib), DYNAMO (duvelisib), and Morschhauser et al. 2019 (tazemetostat) and included a total of 605 participants. All studies used similar inclusion criteria, and patients included were similar in age (median 62-65), disease stage (III/IV), and ECOG score (0-2). Patients in the CHRONOS study had a median number of prior treatments of 2, whereas those in the DELTA study had 5. ORR ranged from 21% (ibrutinib) to 59% (copanlisib) (Table). The DoR ranged from 8.3 months in tazemetostat patients with EZH2 gene mutation to 19.4 months for ibrutinib. PFS ranged from 5.7 months in tazemetostat patients with wild-type EZH2 to 11.2 months for copanlisib. Median TTNT was only reported in the DAWN study (16 months). Conclusions: Very few clinical data exist reporting efficacy outcomes specific to the double R/R FL population. The limited data indicate that current treatments do not produce durable responses for most double R/R FL patients, demonstrating an unmet need. Further research is needed to fully understand the efficacy and safety of other potential interventions for this population. Disclosures Kahl: Genentech:Consultancy;Pharmacyclics LLC:Consultancy;AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP:Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;ADC Therapeutics:Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding;Celgene Corporation:Consultancy;AbbVie:Consultancy;Roche Laboratories Inc:Consultancy;BeiGene:Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding;Janssen:Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees;Acerta:Consultancy, Research Funding.Patel:Kite, a Gilead Company:Current Employment.Zaidi:BMS:Consultancy.Snedecor:Pharmerit - an OPEN Health Company:Other: Employment at consultancy paid by Kite Pharma to conduct this work.Purdum:Kite, a Gilead Company:Current Employment.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1481
Author(s):  
Dragan Primorac ◽  
Martin Čemerin ◽  
Vid Matišić ◽  
Vilim Molnar ◽  
Marko Strbad ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the way of life worldwide and continues to bring high mortality rates to at-risk groups. Patients who develop severe COVID-19 pneumonia, often complicated with ARDS, are left with limited treatment options with no targeted therapy currently available. One of the features of COVID-19 is an overaggressive immune reaction that leads to multiorgan failure. Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) treatment has been in development for various clinical indications for over a decade, with a safe side effect profile and promising results in preclinical and clinical trials. Therefore, the use of MSCs in COVID-19-induced respiratory failure and ARDS was a logical step in order to find a potential treatment option for the most severe patients. In this review, the main characteristics of MSCs, their proposed mechanism of action in COVID-19 treatment and the effect of this therapy in published case reports and clinical trials are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S339-S339
Author(s):  
Mili Duggal ◽  
Heather Stone ◽  
Parvesh Paul ◽  
Reema Charles ◽  
Leonard Sacks ◽  
...  

Abstract Background CURE ID is an internet-based repository developed collaboratively by FDA and NCATS/NIH, with the support of WHO and IDSA. It encourages clinicians globally to share novel uses of existing drugs for patients with difficult-to-treat infections. It is designed to serve as a rapid communication platform for healthcare providers during an outbreak, providing for systematic case-sharing, discussion, and the latest literature. Besides case reports, CURE ID offers a discussion platform for clinicians, disease-specific clinical trials curated from clincialtrials.gov, and a newsfeed that shows relevant journal articles and news related to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Methods The CURE ID team extracted individual case reports on patient-level treatments and outcomes of COVID-19 infection from the published literature and gathered clinician-submitted cases through the electronic case report form. Additionally, CURE ID partnered with the University of Pennsylvania’s CORONA database to further populate the CURE ID database with published cases. Results As of submission, lopinavir-Ritonavir (n=51) was the most commonly reported drug used. The following were also reported: hydroxychloroquine (n=31), azithromycin (n=28), arbidol (n=22), interferon alfa-2B (n=18), moxifloxacin (n=18), methylprednisolone (n=17), ivermectin (n=14), lopinavir (n=12), oseltamivir (n=12). The other drugs reported were danoprevir-ritonavir, intravenous immunoglobulins, interferon, interferon alfa, and tocilizumab. CURE ID currently includes more than 150 detailed COVID case reports of 65 repurposed drugs. We expect case reporting for specific drugs to be dynamic and additional data to accrue. Updated results will be presented. Conclusion Several drugs are being repurposed to treat COVID-19. CURE ID gives clinicians an opportunity to share their treatment experiences and discuss their questions with a global community of healthcare providers. By utilizing the CURE ID platform, in conjunction with data gathered from other registries, observational studies and clinical trials, hypotheses can be generated that may inform future clinical trials and ultimately, potentially find safe and effective treatments for this deadly disease. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (6_suppl) ◽  
pp. 251-251
Author(s):  
Patrick Cotogno ◽  
Elisa M. Ledet ◽  
Joshua Schiff ◽  
Charlotte Manogue ◽  
Brian E. Lewis ◽  
...  

251 Background: Patients (Pts) with mCRPC resistant to novel hormones (abi/enza) and taxanes pose a challenge for clinicians. Typically, once these agents are exhausted, clinical trials represent the best therapeutic option; however, many pts are not appropriate for clinical trials due to marrow suppression and/or extensive pre-treatments. Herein we present limited experience with three pts treated with high dose T when therapeutic clinical trial options were not available. Methods: Data was retrospectively collected at Tulane Cancer Center for pt treatment history, laboratory parameters, and circulating free-DNA genomic testing. High dose testosterone was used at a dose of 87.5-100 mg given daily as a 1% testosterone gel applied to the skin. Results: All the mCRPC patients were pre-treated with abi, enza, taxanes, & radium-223. All pts had RBC transfusions due to marrow suppression. All patients were previously treated on clinical trials. After starting high dose T, pt 1 demonstrated a clinical improvement in energy and appetite with a PSA decline from 530 to 45.8 ng/ml (-91.4%) over 30 days. At baseline, cfDNA analyses measured 15.9X AR amplification and 3.7X MYC amplification. The cfDNA also contained 9.8% of P53R273H mutation. Post high-dose T (serum T from castrate to 1462 ng/dL), both of the cfDNA measured amplifications returned to normal and P53 mutation declined to 0.5%. The PSA nadir occurred 30 days after T start; T was stopped 96 days after starting because of PSA rise to 280 ng/ml. The pt then restarted abi, despite prior resistance, and PSA declined from 280 to 65 ng/ml (-76.6%). The 2 other patients had PSA increases and clinical deterioration and high dose T was stopped after 2-3 weeks. Conclusions: Response to high dose T has been reported in occasional case reports going back over 60 years ago (see Brendler H et al. Arch Surg 1950;61:433–40). The frequency of favorable responses is unknown. In one case, a reversal of AR and MYC amplification was observed. The responding patient then was re-sensitized to abi, a drug to which he was previously resistant. Further research, such as the TRANSFORMER trial, is needed to understand the molecular changes and treatment options for this population.


2001 ◽  
Vol 35 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 935-942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita A Pegram ◽  
LeAnne D Kennedy

OBJECTIVE: T o review the current options for prevention and treatment of veno-occlusive disease in bone marrow transplant patients. DATA SOURCES: Articles were selected from a MEDLINE search (1966–October 1999) using the key terms veno-occlusive disease and bone marrow transplantation. In addition, references of all articles were examined for articles not found in the computer-based search. DATA EXTRACTION: All clinical trials, case—control studies, and case reports were evaluated. RESULTS: Heparin, low-molecular-weight heparin, prostaglandin E1, ursodiol, and glutamine have been studied for prevention of veno-occlusive disease. Heparin has been studied most extensively; however, no preventive regimen has a defined role in therapy. For treatment, tissue plasminogen activator has been evaluated most thoroughly, yet its safety and efficacy have not been clearly established in patients with veno-occlusive disease. Other possible treatment options include antithrombin-III, defibrotide, glutamine plus vitamin E, and surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the available data, the most promising agents are ursodiol for prevention and defibrotide or glutamine plus vitamin E for treatment of veno-occlusive disease. Further clinical trials are needed to establish the appropriate preventive and treatment options available for bone marrow transplant patients suffering from veno-occlusive disease. To date, such decisions depend largely on poorly designed trials, case reports, and clinical experience.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-88
Author(s):  
Adna Kafedžić ◽  
Nedim Katica

Acute chest pain is one of the biggest challenges in diagnostic and therapeutic terms due to a number of differential diagnostic options. Boerhaave syndrome is a rare condition, but at the same time one of the most lethal diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For this reason, a high level of suspicion is required in patients with presenting retrosternal pain. Classic symptoms such as vomiting, chest pain, and subcutaneous emphysema may not always be present. The approach to the patient with Boerhaave syndrome is multidisciplinary. The patient needs urgent rehydration, antibiotic treatment and consultation with a surgery specialist. Treatment is based on the clinical picture of the patient, the location and size of the perforation, but the most important prognostic factor is the time of diagnosis. There are still no official guidelines for the treatment of this condition, and knowledge of treatment options is based on individual case reports from the literature.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 204062231985164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin T. Savage ◽  
Kelsey S. Flood ◽  
Martina L. Porter ◽  
Alexa B. Kimball

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a complex disease with a dramatic impact on the quality of life of patients that it afflicts. Despite this, there are few treatment options offering long-term relief. The exact pathophysiology of HS is unclear, although the current theory involves follicular obstruction, rupture, and subsequent inflammation leading to fistula and abscess development in intertriginous skin. Several inflammatory modulators have been implicated in the development of HS, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α as well as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-10, and IL-17. Initial evidence for the use of TNF-α inhibitors in HS stemmed from recognition that inflammatory bowel disease patients treated with these medications saw a concurrent improvement in their HS symptoms. Early case reports and case series illustrated TNF-α inhibitors’ value in the treatment of HS. Later, two phase III clinical trials, PIONEER I and PIONEER II, demonstrated that adalimumab is an efficacious treatment for HS. Infliximab represents another effective HS treatment option with its main advantage being dosing flexibility. In contrast, clinical trials have failed to show evidence for application of etanercept in HS. There is limited data on other TNF-α inhibitors such as certolizumab-pegol and golimumab. This review outlines the history, dosing, response, and adverse effects of TNF-α inhibitors in the treatment of HS.


Author(s):  
Suzanne JF Kaptein ◽  
Sofie Jacobs ◽  
Lana Langendries ◽  
Laura Seldeslachts ◽  
Sebastiaan ter Horst ◽  
...  

AbstractSARS-CoV-2 rapidly spread around the globe after its emergence in Wuhan in December 2019. With no specific therapeutic and prophylactic options available, the virus was able to infect millions of people. To date, close to half a million patients succumbed to the viral disease, COVID-19. The high need for treatment options, together with the lack of small animal models of infection has led to clinical trials with repurposed drugs before any preclinical in vivo evidence attesting their efficacy was available. We used Syrian hamsters to establish a model to evaluate antiviral activity of small molecules in both an infection and a transmission setting. Upon intranasal infection, the animals developed high titers of SARS-CoV-2 in the lungs and pathology similar to that observed in mild COVID-19 patients. Treatment of SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters with favipiravir or hydroxychloroquine (with and without azithromycin) resulted in respectively a mild or no reduction in viral RNA and infectious virus. Micro-CT scan analysis of the lungs showed no improvement compared to non-treated animals, which was confirmed by histopathology. In addition, both compounds did not prevent virus transmission through direct contact and thus failed as prophylactic treatments. By modelling the PK profile of hydroxychloroquine based on the trough plasma concentrations, we show that the total lung exposure to the drug was not the limiting factor. In conclusion, we here characterized a hamster infection and transmission model to be a robust model for studying in vivo efficacy of antiviral compounds. The information acquired using hydroxychloroquine and favipiravir in this model is of critical value to those designing (current and) future clinical trials. At this point, the data here presented on hydroxychloroquine either alone or combined with azithromycin (together with previously reported in vivo data in macaques and ferrets) provide no scientific basis for further use of the drug in humans.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 204-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erenie Guirguis ◽  
Jonathan Richardson ◽  
Tara Kuhn ◽  
Ashley Fahmy

Objective:To review adjunctive treatment options for severe alcohol withdrawal. Data Sources: The search strategy included a search of Ovid MEDLINE using keywords alcohol withdrawal, severe alcohol withdrawal, AWS, delirium tremens, delirium, dexmedetomidine, propofol, anticonvulsants, clonidine, and phenobarbital and included articles dated from January 1990 to March 2017. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language clinical trials and case reports assessing the efficacy of adjunctive agents in severe alcohol withdrawal were evaluated. Data Synthesis: Although first-line pharmacotherapy for alcohol withdrawal continues to be benzodiazepines, literature does not clearly define adjunctive treatment options for severe alcohol withdrawal. During severe alcohol withdrawal patients may become unable to tolerate or may become unresponsive to high-dose benzodiazepines. Large doses of benzodiazepines may also result in oversedation, respiratory insufficiency, and worsening delirium. Conclusions: Phenobarbital and dexmedetomidine are both viable adjunctive treatment options for severe alcohol withdrawal. Current evidence has shown these agents decrease the dose requirements of benzodiazepines with limited incidence of adverse reactions. Propofol may also be a viable option in mechanically ventilated patients, but its lack of clear safety and efficacy advantages over current treatment options may limit its use in practice. Clonidine, oral anticonvulsants, and ketamine require further controlled clinical trials to clearly define their role in the treatment of severe alcohol withdrawal.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-33
Author(s):  
Noor Dina Hashim ◽  
Mohd Razif Mohamad Yunus ◽  
Asma Abdullah ◽  
Marina Mat Baki ◽  
Salina Husain ◽  
...  

  Objective: To describe our experience in managing two cases of primary malignant parotid lymphoma.   Methods: Design: Case Report Setting: Tertiary University Referral Center Patients: Two   Results: Both patients underwent superficial parotidectomy. Despite recurrence in one, the disease was controlled with conservative management. However, the disease was more aggressive in the other, requiring additional chemo-radiotherapy.   Conclusion: Malignant parotid lymphoma may present with varying stages, grades and clinical courses, requiring different management approaches. The treatment options are based on grading and staging at diagnosis and should be implemented depending on individual case.   Keywords: Parotid neoplasms, malignant lymphoma


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