Mérida, Yucatán, (March 25, 2021).- Patients recently infected by the SARS-Cov-2 virus could be treated for free with a drug developed by Yucatan scientists, which promises to be more effective, at this time, than the existing vaccines, reported the center Köhler & Milstein Research.
The new treatment prevents the progression of the disease towards serious forms, and its principle is based on the supply intramuscular route, of large quantities of artificially created devices that are identical to those produced by the human body, which fulfills the function to block cell receptors to prevent the virus from penetrating them.
It should be noted that it is a clinical trial whose procedure is approved by the Federal for Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the national ethics, research, and biosafety committees. It also has the support of the State Government, through the Ministry of Health.
Over a year after the start of the pandemic, there is no treatment capable of eliminating the virus, so the doctor can do any else than monitor the infected person; on the other hand, monoclonal antibodies are currently the most effective early treatment for patients with Covid-19, said researcher Jesús Abraham Simón.
The effect of vaccines is not immediate
He explained that the vaccines that have emerged have many problems, such as efficacy, which is not one hundred percent; doses are scarce and for the production of antibodies, on average, 28 days have to pass since the person received the inoculation, but the immune system is not that fast, it takes between four and eight weeks to adapt and start producing enough antibodies.
This means that a recently vaccinated person is not protected, it requires two months and sometimes a second booster dose to achieve this.
The doctor in immunology recalled that, in addition, last week Cofepris approved an antiviral called Remdesivir, which in theory eliminates the virus, but studies show a very small benefit and there is no conclusive evidence that indicates that it will solve the contingency, therefore, “We are empty in terms of treatment.”
He explained that these antibodies are produced for two reasons, for being vaccinated or for having been infected, but their own can be replaced by monoclonal ones created with biomolecular engineering.
The specialist affirmed that this treatment with monoclonal antibodies that he has developed together with his team of researchers has had extraordinary success in a preliminary test, since of a hundred cases that they treated only 10 ended up admitted to a hospital, that is, it decreases 10 times the risk of hospitalization; furthermore, these ten patients had a good evolution and no deaths were registered.
“Although these are just clinical trials, the last phase of the research, in none of the eight monoclonal studies that the center is conducting, which means that all volunteers who wish to collaborate will receive treatment,” he said.
No side effects yet reported
Regarding side effects, the specialist admitted that they do exist, like any other drug, but with the use of monoclonal antibodies the only relevant risk, and to date none has been recorded, is that someone may be allergic, this scenario is possible, but unlikely because these antibodies are identical to humans.
“The benefits of this clinical trial are many since it seems to be the ideal treatment to prevent the progression of the disease,” Simón indicated
“The treatment is given free of charge, it is voluntary, and the patient can refuse to participate, but so far no one has declined; in other parts of the world it has been implemented as a preventive measure, but at the moment we are focusing on recent infections ”, he pointed out.
Since September 2020, the research center has carried out these treatments in the Yucatecan capital, but without public dissemination. It should be noted that the employees of Köhler & Milstein Research are not interested in managing high profiles; however, the productivity of the center is very high and its prestige at an international level is well known.
The Köhler & Milstein Research Merida headquarters is the main hub in Latin America, and is the place where the CanSino vaccine was developed.
Those interested in participating in the trials can call 9991 631242 to get the details of the treatment and make an appointment.
