COVID-19 comment: Possible new drug to treat the virus
25 March 2020
Professor Ian Jones, virologist at the University of Reading, said:
"The use of the antibody Meplazumab for Covid-19 seems very positive. It targets both the virus and the damage done by it during infection. The recovery rate of a range of patients improved significantly when Meplazumab was used. However, this is not a simple tablet treatment, it requires infusion while in hospital and drugs like this are not usually widely available, at least not in quantity. But it offers a potential therapy for severe cases which would improve recovery rates and free up beds faster. It clearly needs to be considered alongside other emerging treatments."