New York - Two of four Ebola treatment drugs have been
determined "more effective" than the others and will be the only ones
used on patients going forward, the World Health Organisation
announced on Monday.
In a multi-drug randomised trial that began as a part of the emergency
response in the Democratic Republic of Congo on November 20, 2018,
two of the four Ebola treatment drugs were determined more effective
in treating patients than others, the WHO said. The
trial was called the Pamoja Tulinde Maisha study.
ZMapp, remdesivir, mAb114 and REGN-EB3 were the four drugs used in
the trials. During trials, REGN-EB3 and mAb114 were determined to be
more effective in treating Ebola than the other two, and will be the
only two used going forward, the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases announced.
As part of an emergency response team in the Congo, the "Together
Save Lives" trial was done with a collaboration of organisations,
including the Congo's National Institute for Biomedical Research, the
Ministry of Health, the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases, the Alliance for International Medical Action
and other organisations.
Although the final analysis of data will be completed in late
September or early October of this year, the NIAID said the
effectiveness of REGN-EB3 and mAb114 was "compelling enough to
recommend and implement" the changes immediately. The other two
treatments, ZMapp and remdesivir, will no longer be used.
About 681 patients were enrolled in the trial as of August 9, 2019,
with a total aim of 725 patients, the NIAID said.
Ebola is a virus that is transmitted through direct contact with
bodily fluids of someone who is ill with the virus or died from it,
or through blood, body fluids or tissues of infected fruit bats or
primates, the CDC states.
Symptoms, including fever, muscle pain, fatigue, vomiting, severe
headache, weakness, diarrhea, abdominal pain or unexplained
hemorrhaging, occur within two to 21 days of coming in contact
with the virus. Currently, there is no approved vaccine or treatment
for the virus, so prevention is crucial, the CDC states.
Trials like "Together Save Lives" have been introduced in areas like
the Congo during outbreaks to test what treatments may be most
effective for infected patients.
Just under a month ago, the Ebola outbreak in Congo was declared a
global health emergency. As of August 6, 2019, there have been 2 781
reported cases of Ebola in the country, according to the WHO. There
have been 1,866 reported deaths as a result of the virus.