Over half of million people have been infected with the deadly coronavirus, and more than 27,000 people have died worldwide. More than 2000 Americans have been killed by the virus, and over 124,000 are infected.
While there are no vaccines that target or cure for the coronavirus as of today, there is a glimmer of hope from medical experts and researchers along with the World Health Organization, who are diligently working night and day to find a solution.
The latest effective treatment is a combination of HIV and breast cancer medication called leronlimab created by biotech firm CytoDyn in Vancouver, Washington.
It has been confirmed that two coronavirus patients in New York City had their lives saved after being treated by the combination of the medication.
The unnamed patients were in critical condition and were placed on ventilators in the ICU, and after taking leronlimab, their overall health improved in a few days, and they were moved to a regular hospital.
It is estimated that more than 1000 New Yorkers are critically ill due to COVID-19. A total of 7 patients have received the drug, and 6 of them show signs of improvement.
In the first week, leronlimab is administered via two injections on the left and right side of the abdomen. The second week the same dosage is given.
It has been confirmed two of the severely ill patients are breathing on their own. Two others who were given leronlimab now have the severe inflammation causing their lungs to go into organ failure slowing down.
The positive results have put the drug on the fast track of being approved by the FDA in about a month in half. CytoDyn President Dr. Nader Pourhassan is cautiously optimistic that the drug will get emergency approval in a matter of weeks.
He also spoke about the patients who were treated in the trial: “One of [the patients] self-extubating, and was alert an hour or two after treatment.”
He added: “The doctor said that this patient, in the last three days before treatment, was intubated and extubated, and every time they intubated him, within four to six hours, they immediately had to intubate him again.”
He went on to praise the drug by saying that “The cytokine storm goes down and the patient is not having a problem clearing the virus…it could get FDA-approval very quickly.”
According to CytoDyn, a second larger group of sick New Yorkers will be getting the drug. This time around 75 patients with mild or moderate coronavirus will take leronlimab.
