There are reports of Russia registering world’s first vaccine against novel corona virus while the phase 3 trial of this vaccine is still in progress. Developed jointly by the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry, this vaccine is based on the use...
The eighth version (seventh update) of a living guideline is released. It replaces earlier versions. The latest update includes a strong recommendation for the use of baricitinib as an alternative to interleukin-6 (IL-6), a conditional recommendation for the use of...
2-Deoxy-D-Glucose(2-DG), a glucose analog that inhibits glycolysis, has recently received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in India for the treatment of moderate to severe COVID-19 patients. The molecule has been extensively researched and used in clinical trials for its ant-cancer properties....
A bill H.R.2316 - Fire Fauci Act1 has been introduced into the US Senate to reduce Dr. Anthony Fauci salary along with audit for his correspondence and financial statements linked to COVID-19 outbreak. During the initial days of COVID-19 outbreak, in March...
The causative analysis of the current crisis in India caused by COVID-19 can be attributed to various factors like sedentary lifestyle of the population, complacency setting in due to the perception of pandemic being over, predisposition of Indian population...
The search for a universal COVID-19 vaccine, effective against all present and future variants of coronaviruses is an imperative. The idea is to focus on the less-mutating, most conserved region of the virus, instead of the region that frequently mutates....
All approved COVID-19 vaccines so far are administered in the form of injections. What if the vaccines could be conveniently delivered as spray in the nose? If you do not like shots, here may be the good news! Intranasal administration of...
Clinical Trials to evaluate effectiveness of anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and antibiotic, Azithromycin in treating older people with COVID-19 begins in the UK and USA with an aim to reducing the severity of symptoms and avoiding hospitalization
Of late, there...
A type of virus that preys on bacteria could be harnessed to combat bacterial infections in patients whose immune systems have been weakened by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, according to an expert at the University...
Povidone Iodine (PVP-I) can be used in the form of mouthwash and nasal spray (especially in Dental and ENT settings) to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, to reduce cross-infection and to manage patients at the early stage of disease.
Povidone...
Three adenoviruses used as vectors to produce COVID-19 vaccines, bind to platelet factor 4 (PF4), a protein implicated in the pathogenesis of clotting disorders.
Adenovirus based COVID-19 vaccines such as Oxford/AstraZeneca’s ChAdOx1 use the weakened and genetically modified version of common cold...
The government in England recently announced lifting of plan B measures amidst ongoing Covid-19 cases, that makes mask wearing not mandatory, dropping of work from home and no requirement by law of showing of COVID vaccination pass to attend...
Resistance to COVID-19 infection has been observed in health care workers and has been attributed to the presence of memory T cells that target the RNA polymerase in the RTC (replication transcription complex), thereby preventing infection. This makes RNA...
Effective 27th January 2022, it will not be mandatory to wear a face covering or need to show COVID pass in England. The measures put in place under Plan B in England, to be lifted.
Earlier on 8th December...
For quicker lifting of lockdown, the innovators or entrepreneurs holding IP rights over novel technologies with potential to improve diagnostics and therapeutics for COVID-19, who may otherwise be unable to launch the products at scaled up level due to...
Sotrovimab, a Monoclonal antibody already approved for mild to moderate COVID-19 in several countries gets approval by MHRA in the UK. This antibody was intelligently designed with a mutating virus in mind. A highly conserved region of the spike protein was...
Social interaction and vaccination both contribute to development of herd immunity however development of herd immunity as a result of social interaction is directly proportional to the number of secondary infections that arise from the primary cases. Herd immunity...
Routine sero-surveillance of the population to estimate presence of antibodies to COVID-19 is required to understand the development of herd immunity in a population. Data from the sero-surveillance study of population in the Ischgl town of Austria throws light on this aspect...
Interim data from the phase III clinical trial of Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine show the vaccine is effective at preventing COVID-19 caused due to SARS-CoV-2 virus and offers a high level of protection against the disease.
The phase III trial tested two...
A gene variant of OAS1 has been implicated in reducing the risk of severe COVID-19 disease. This warrants developing agents/drugs that can increase the level of OAS1 enzyme, thereby reducing the severity of COVID-19.
Advanced age and comorbidities are known...
A new variant called ‘IHU’ (a new Pangolin lineage named B.1.640.2) is reported to have emerged in south-eastern France.
Researchers in Marseille, France have reported detection of a new variant of novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
The index patient had recent travel history...
Development of vaccine for COVID-19 is a global priority. In this article, the author has reviewed and evaluated research and development and the present status of vaccine development.
COVID-19 disease, caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, has been steadily increasing in the...
The researchers at the Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center have successfully completely Phase I trials for the use of CD24 protein delivered in exosomes to treat COVID-19.
Scientists at the Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center have devised a bio-therapeutic agent based on exosomes (membrane bound vesicles) carrying CD24 protein....
Molnupiravir, the world’s first oral drug (approved by MHRA, UK) against COVID-19 along with upcoming drugs such as Paxlovid and sustained vaccination drive has raised hopes that the COVID-19 pandemic may end soon bringing life back to normalcy. Molnupiravir (Lagevrio) is a broad-spectrum...
Herd immunity for COVID-19 is said to be achieved when 67% of the population is immune to the virus through infection and/or vaccination, whilst the pathogen remains well-characterized (unmutated) throughout transmission in the population that is well-characterized. In the...
