প্রকাশ: 19/10/2022
The United States
sent Gilead Sciences' remdesivir and Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc's experimental
Ebola antibody drug MBP134 to Uganda last week to help safeguard healthcare
workers responding to an outbreak that has infected 60 people and killed 44,
U.S. government sources told Reuters.
There are currently no proven vaccines or treatments for the
Sudan species of Ebola, one of four known Ebola viruses to cause hemorrhagic
fever in humans. The outbreak confirmed by the Ugandan health ministry on Sept.
20 is the largest of the Sudan species since 2000.
Uganda health minister Jane Ruth Aceng disclosed the U.S.
shipments at a meeting of African region health officials last week in Kampala
and said remdesivir, which has been widely used as a COVID-19 treatment, and an
undisclosed monoclonal antibody had been given to healthcare workers.
Providing treatment that protects the lives of healthcare
workers could be central to containing the outbreak, said Joel Montgomery, the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's chief of the viral special
pathogens branch and incident manager for the outbreak.
"If healthcare workers start to fall ill and die, it's
going to negatively impact the response," said Montgomery, who had just
returned from a trip to Uganda.
For instance, healthcare workers may be reluctant to assist
in the response, he said in a phone interview.
The World Health Organization said in a statement the agency
is working with partners in Uganda to set up the infrastructure for a clinical
trial and is supporting use of the untested antivirals and monoclonal
antibodies and will collect data on their efficacy.
A large outbreak of the Zaire species of Ebola in West
Africa from 2014-2016 led to effective vaccines and treatment, but there are no
proven treatments or vaccines for the Sudan species.
San Diego-based Mapp Biopharmaceutical received a $110
million contract from the U.S. government's Biomedical Advanced Research and
Development Authority (BARDA) on October 4 for advanced development and
potential purchases of MBP134, a combination of monoclonal antibodies.
Gilead did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A study of MBP134 and remdesivir in non-human primates
showed that either drug given individually rescued 20% of animals infected with
the Sudan species of Ebola, but when given in combination, 80% of infected
animals survived.
MBP134 is currently being tested in early safety trials in
healthy human volunteers, Mapp President Larry Zeitlin said in an email. All
participants have completed the study, and the data are currently being
analyzed. Overall, MBP134 was well tolerated, he said.
Zeitlin said when requested, the company does provide its
drug for free for compassionate use, pending regulatory and ethics approvals.
He declined to say how many doses the company provided.
- Reuters
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