Lexi Webster
In March 2020, Australian researchers claimed to have found a cure for the novel coronavirus. Professor David Paterson, director of the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research and infectious disease physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, said that two drugs used to treat other conditions can wipe out the virus in test tubes. One of the medications, given to some of the first people to test positive for COVID-19 in Australia, resulted in the disappearance of the virus and complete recovery from the infection. While there have been successful outcomes for patients treated with these drugs in Australia, it hasn't been done in a controlled or comparative way. Prof Paterson and his team are now aiming to enrol patients in a nationwide trial to further test the effectiveness of these drugs in treating COVID-19.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Drugs used | Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, and HIV-suppressing combination lopinavir/ritonavir |
| Administration | Orally, as tablets |
| Treatment stage | Early on in the illness |
| Patient status | Successfully treated |
| Number of hospitals participating | 50 |
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What You'll Learn
HIV drug treatment
In the search for a cure for the novel coronavirus, researchers in Australia have found that a combination of two anti-HIV drugs, lopinavir and ritonavir (also known as Aluvia or Kaletra), may be effective. Professor David Paterson, director of the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research and infectious disease physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH), reported that the drugs wiped out the virus in test tubes and that some of the first people to test positive for COVID-19 in Australia who were treated with one of the medications showed a "disappearance of the virus" and complete recovery from the infection.
The research was sparked by Chinese patients who were first given the drug in Australia and showed their doctors information about the treatment used overseas. The first wave of Chinese patients treated with the HIV drug in Australia reportedly "did very, very well," according to Prof Paterson, who also noted that this was reassuring and suggested that they were "onto something really good here."
However, it is important to note that the treatment has not yet been administered in a controlled or comparative way, and there have been conflicting reports about the effectiveness of HIV drugs in treating COVID-19. Some clinical trials, such as one conducted in Wuhan, China, on patients severely ill with pneumonia caused by COVID-19, found that the HIV drugs showed "no benefit." Researchers suggested that the people in the trial may have been too ill already to benefit from the drugs, and treatment earlier in the infection may yield better results.
Despite the mixed outcomes, the Australian research team is confident that they can start getting the drugs to patients in a safe way. They aimed to begin enrolling patients in a nationwide trial by the end of March 2020, with the participation of many hospitals across Australia.
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Chinese patients' influence
The search for a cure for COVID-19 has been a global effort, with researchers and doctors around the world contributing their expertise. In Australia, the research into a cure was sparked by Chinese patients who were among the first to be treated with the drug in the country. These patients showed their doctors information they found on the internet about treatments used overseas.
The Chinese patients informed doctors about the use of an HIV drug to treat COVID-19. This sparked surprise and some scepticism among Australian doctors. However, the treatment of the first wave of Chinese patients with the HIV drug yielded positive results, which encouraged Australian researchers to further explore this treatment option.
In addition to the influence of Chinese patients on Australian research, there have been other notable influences on the search for a cure for COVID-19. For example, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been promoted by China as a treatment for the virus. Shuanghuanglian, a mixture of plants invented in the 1960s as part of TCM, was advertised by the Xinhua News Agency as a treatment for COVID-19. This led to long queues and violations of social distancing rules in China.
While the influence of Chinese patients in Australia sparked interest in HIV drugs as a potential treatment, it's important to note that the effectiveness of these drugs in curing COVID-19 has been disputed. Africa Check, a fact-checking organisation, stated that they found no evidence that a coronavirus patient in China was cured using HIV drugs. They also noted that the World Health Organization had not reported such a cure on its website or in its updates.
Despite the mixed responses to the use of HIV drugs, the influence of Chinese patients in Australia contributed to the exploration of various treatment options. It is crucial to approach potential cures with caution and to rely on scientific evidence and rigorous testing to confirm their effectiveness and safety.
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Clinical trials
In March 2020, Professor David Paterson, director of the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research and an infectious disease physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH), announced that they had seen encouraging results in treating COVID-19 with two existing drugs. These drugs, Chloroquine (an anti-malarial medication) and the HIV-suppressing combination lopinavir/ritonavir, were found to be effective in test tubes, eliminating the virus.
According to Prof. Paterson, one of these medications had already been administered to some of the first people to test positive for COVID-19 in Australia, resulting in the "disappearance of the virus" and complete recovery from the infection. He emphasized that it wasn't a stretch to label these drugs "a treatment or a cure," and that they aimed to begin nationwide clinical trials by the end of March 2020.
The proposed clinical trial would involve 50 hospitals across Australia, comparing the effectiveness of one drug versus another, and possibly the combination of both. This large-scale trial is designed to address the lack of controlled and comparative studies in the initial treatments. By enrolling patients as soon as they are admitted to the hospital, the researchers aim to start the treatment early in the illness and evaluate its effectiveness comprehensively.
Prof. Paterson's optimism about the potential cure is based on the positive outcomes observed in Chinese patients treated in Australia with the HIV-suppressing drug. These patients "all did very, very well," according to researchers, which reinforces the belief that they are "onto something really good here."
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Oral medication
The Australian team has focused on two drugs, an HIV medication, and an anti-malaria drug. The HIV drug, Kaletra (also known as Aluvia), is a protease inhibitor that blocks the process of the virus reproducing by sticking to an enzyme vital for its replication. The anti-malaria drug, chloroquine phosphate, sold under the brand name Arlan, kills the malaria parasites in the blood, effectively stopping the disease. These drugs have been administered orally as tablets, with successful outcomes reported.
The initial tests in test tubes showed promising results, leading to a secret trial on a group of patients, all of whom completely recovered. The success of these early trials prompted the rollout of the drugs to 50 hospitals across Australia for further clinical trials. Professor Paterson emphasized the potential of these medications as a "real cure for all," and the treatment has since been extended to COVID-19 patients in these hospitals.
In addition to the Australian efforts, oral antiviral medications have also been developed to combat COVID-19. Paxlovid, developed by Pfizer, is an oral antiviral pill that has shown an 89% reduction in the risk of hospitalization and death in unvaccinated individuals. It is available to anyone 12 years and older, and the standard dose is three pills twice daily for five days, totaling 30 pills. This medication must be started within the first five days of experiencing symptoms to effectively lower the risk of severe disease.
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Nationwide treatment
In Australia, researchers from the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research have claimed to have found a cure for the novel coronavirus. Professor David Paterson, the director of the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research and an infectious disease physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, said that two drugs used to treat other conditions can eliminate the virus in test tubes. The drugs in question are Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, and HIV-suppressing combination lopinavir/ritonavir.
According to Prof Paterson, one of the medications was given to some of the first people to test positive for COVID-19 in Australia, resulting in the "disappearance of the virus" and complete recovery from the infection. He stated that it wasn't a stretch to label the drugs "a treatment or a cure" and that patients would end up with no viable coronavirus in their system after completing the therapy.
The research was sparked by Chinese patients in Australia who showed their doctors information about the treatment used overseas. Australian doctors were surprised that an HIV drug could work against the novel coronavirus, but the first wave of Chinese patients treated with the HIV drug had successful outcomes. This sparked the idea of conducting a nationwide trial to test the drugs' effectiveness in a controlled and comparative way.
Prof Paterson and his team expressed their desire to provide Australians with the best treatment based on scientific evidence rather than anecdotal experiences. They aimed to enrol patients in the trial by the end of March, targeting 50 hospitals across Australia. The treatment would be given orally, as tablets, with the goal of beginning treatment as early as possible in the patient's illness.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian researchers have found a possible cure for the novel coronavirus. The researchers hope to have patients enrolled in a nationwide trial soon. The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research director Professor David Paterson said that they have seen two drugs used to treat other conditions can wipe out the virus in test tubes.
The two medications are Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, and HIV-suppressing combination lopinavir/ritonavir.
The drugs would be given orally, as tablets. Patients would be asked to participate as soon as they're admitted to the hospital with the aim of beginning treatment early on in their illness.
