COVID-19: Canada-approved treatment

Canmore, Alta. -The emergence of new coronavirus variants has fueled concerns about the fifth wave of COVID-19 in Canada, fueling new interest in both vaccine availability and treatments for sick people. I did.

Several different types of treatments for COVID-19 have been approved for use in Canada. This includes many treatments that are being tested as part of clinical trials nationwide.

Here are some of the treatments available in Canada:

Remdesivir

In July 2020, the Canadian Ministry of Health approved the use of remdesivir, an antiviral drug originally used to treat Ebola, in COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms such as pneumonia, or extra oxygen in the breath. Treated patients in need.

It was the first drug approved for treatment with COVID-19 in Canada.

According to Health Canada, Remdesivir is recommended for Canadians over the age of 12 who weigh 40 kilograms or more. Treatment is via IV and is used only in medical facilities where the patient can be closely monitored.

“This is a drug that acts to block the virus itself. Many of the other treatments used or attempted to treat COVID-related diseases are around the immune system,” said Lisa Barrett, an infectious disease expert. The doctor says.Of Dalhousie University in Halifax I explained to the CTV news channel at that time.

“But it is designed to directly inhibit the virus itself and has been previously used or tested for use in other viral infections.”

In November 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) updated its ongoing guidance on COVID-19 drugs to advise against the use of remdesivir. ventilation. However, this did not affect Health Canada’s decision to allow the use of the drug.

Some of the latest studies on remdesivir, published in April 2021, suggest that the use of COVID-19 in children appears to be as safe and effective as in adults. Low incidence of serious adverse events.

Bamlanivimab

Bamlanivimab was the first to be approved for use by Health Canada in November 2020. Canada-approved monoclonal antibody Used to treat COVID-19.

The drug mimics the immune system’s ability to fight off the virus and was developed by Abcelera Biologics in Vancouver with federal support.

Recommended for treating adults and children over 12 years old weighing 40 kg or more. It is used to treat people with severe COVID-19 complications or at high risk of progressing to hospitalization, but not for people with severe respiratory illness.

However, in April 2021, Health Canada announced “Potential risk of treatment failure” For Canadian-made drugs, it may not be possible to prevent infection from some variants.

According to Health Canada, bumlanivimab “showed reduced activity against SARS-CoV-2 mutants” with E484K and L452R mutations. These include the B.1.351 variant first identified in South Africa, the P.1 variant first discovered in Brazil, the B.1.427 / B.1.429 variant reported in California, and the first identified B in New York. 1.526 Contains variants.

Countries around the world are using this drug, but Canada’s 26,000 doses are rarely used. Doctors say it wasn’t planned because it had to be given intravenously within 10 days of infection.

Kasiribimab and Indebimab

In June 2021, Health Canada announced Kasiribimab and Imdebimab It is given together as a monoclonal antibody therapy. Similar to bumlanivimab, these drugs are used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and children 12 years and older who are at high risk of hospitalization or COVID-related complications.

WHO supports the use of antibodies in selected high-risk patients and is widely used in the United States to treat COVID-19. However, its use in Canada is uneven.

Quebec Small delivery Of the October monoclonal antibody cocktail.

Doctor in Hamilton, Ontario.I’m also a state pilot First Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Clinic For outpatients using Casilivimab and Imdevimab, we refer to data showing that treatment reduced hospitalization by 71% and mortality by 7% in high-risk COVID-positive patients.

Sotrovimab

Another monoclonal antibody treatment, sotrovimab, was approved for use in Canada in July 2021. Injections are used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and children aged 12 years and older who are at high risk of hospitalization or COVID-related complications. ..

On Wednesday, Alberta health officials revealed that they were taking sotrovimab to unvaccinated COVID-19 patients aged 65 and over.

“Treatment is a step-by-step approach that is spread throughout the state, starting with the one with the highest risk of serious consequences such as hospitalization,” said Dr. Dina Hinsho, Chief Health Officer of the State. increase. During a press conference..

“It is emphasized that sotrovimab is not a substitute for the COVID-19 vaccine, because the vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the serious consequences of the disease.”

This is a laboratory test and research on hamsters Sotrovimab antibody cocktail works against viruses These have been bioengineered to carry many characteristic mutations in the newly discovered Omicron variants.

Ongoing treatment

Molnupiravir

Health Canada says it is still reviewing data on Experimental pills According to pharmaceutical company Merck, the company says it can halve hospitalizations and deaths for patients infected with COVID-19.

Molnupiravir, a twice-daily oral antiviral drug taken within 5 days of the onset of symptoms, has shown moderate benefit and potential safety issues in trials. Most experts who support treatment emphasize that pregnant people should not use it and suggest additional precautions before the drug is prescribed, such as a pregnancy test for women of childbearing age. ..

The medicine is The enzyme that the coronavirus uses to replicate itselfInserting an error into the genetic code slows down the ability of human cells to expand and take over. Some independent experts question whether the drug can cause mutations that lead to birth defects and tumors.

This drug has not been tested in vaccinated individuals.

On November 30, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration endorsed the use of the drug for mild to moderate COVID-19 adults at high risk of complications, including the elderly and those with symptoms such as obesity and asthma. .. The UK has also approved its use.

Health Canada does not provide a timeline to complete the review process.

PAXLOVID

Pfizer also recently Submit clinical data to Health Canada For oral medications, we hope that it can be used to treat mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 in adults.

Like molnupiravir, pills are designed to block the activity of COVID-19 viral enzymes that are essential for their replication. Some of the pills use ritonavir, an existing drug that was previously used in combination with other antiviral drugs.

In a randomized, double-blind study of more than 380 patients, the drug company is at risk of hospitalization or COVID-19 death for patients receiving Pfizer tablets within 3 days of displaying COVID. Said a 89% decrease. 19 symptoms compared to the study group receiving placebo.

It is unclear how long it will take for Health Canada to determine if Pfizer tablets meet the criteria.

-Use files from Alexandra Mae Jones, Brooklyn Neustaeter, The Canadian Press, Associated Press