Prisma Health studying Ebola drug as treatment for COVID-19
A drug first developed to treat the deadly Ebola virus that has shown some promise as a treatment for COVID-19 is being studied at Prisma Health to determine its effectiveness against the novel disease.
The antiviral drug, called remdesivir, was shown to be effective in treating SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, and MERS, Middle East respiratory syndrome, both of which were caused by other coronaviruses.
Because COVID-19 is a new disease, remdesivir is among the few investigational treatments available, Dr. Edwin Hayes, an infectious diseases specialist and the principal investigator for the study at Prisma Health Richland Hospital, said in a release.
Remdesivir interferes with the enzyme that allows the virus to replicate itself, officials said.
“It is still too early to judge how useful this treatment is for patients,” said Hayes, who is also an assistant professor with University of South Carolina School of Medicine. “Anecdotal reports are not data, especially without the control arm of the study.”
The international trial is being conducted by the drug’s developer, Gilead Sciences, which received FDA approval for the study, officials said.
While Prisma Health Richland is the only Prisma hospital currently participating in the study, Hayes said he’s hopeful that other Prisma facilities will be approved to participate.
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Liv Osby is the health writer at The Greenville News. She can be reached at email@example.com, 864-298-4422 or @livgnews.