At least one antiviral drug shows promise against monkeypox and should be investigated further, scientists said as the outbreak progresses.
The finding is based on a case that happened before the current flare-up in Britain. The study, which calls for more research on a drug called tecovirimat, was published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal.
The study focused on seven cases of transmission outside Africa, where the virus is known to be endemic in a dozen countries. This suggests that SIGA Technologies Inc. tecovirimat may be able to reduce symptoms and reduce the amount of time people are infectious.
The scientists said more work was needed to reach a conclusion, but their study found little evidence that another drug, brincidofovir, was beneficial.
Lead author Hugh Adler, a researcher at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, told reporters at a briefing: “Our paper gives an indication that if you had a choice between the two drugs, tecovirimat has shown far greater promise. ” Urge to exercise caution.
He said, “This is the sum total of human experience with these drugs in monkeypox so far. We hope to enable this data to be passed on to other physicians who are dealing with cases, especially if they are severe cases of monkeypox.” to use this drug as well, and would encourage more people to do a larger study.”
The virus’ cousin to smallpox has spread across Europe and the US in recent days, leading to 131 confirmed cases and another 106 suspected ones in 19 countries. World Health Organization,
Three cases of monkeypox were studied in a family traveling from Nigeria in 2021. According to the report, one patient treated with tecovirimat experienced a shorter duration of symptoms and viral shedding of the upper respiratory tract as compared to the other. The authors said the study is too small to determine its effectiveness against monkeypox.
throat swab
Tecovirimat, sold under the Tpoxx brand name, is not yet widely available. An oral formulation has been approved in the US, Canada and Europe for the treatment of smallpox, while European approval also includes monkeypoxThe company said.
Brincidofovir did not show clinical benefit in three other patients treated with the drug for seven days after the onset of the rash, the researchers said. It is uncertain whether giving brincidofovir to people earlier in the disease, or at a different interval, will result in different outcomes. Three patients, as well as a healthcare worker exposed to the virus at a hospital, made full recovery in those cases from 2018 and 2019.
Emergent Biosolutions Inc. earlier this month struck a deal with Chimericks Inc. to acquire the rights to brincidofovir, or Tembexa, which was approved by the FDA for the treatment of smallpox.