A cocktail of antiviral drugs seemed effective in treating a seriously ill coronavirus patient, a Thai health official said.
The anti-HIV drugs lopinavir and ritonavir, sold by AbbVie Inc. as a Kaletra product, were used in three patients together with the flu drug oseltamivir, sold by Roche Holding AG and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. such as Tamiflu, Somkiat Lalitwongsa, El Rajavithi hospital in Bangkok told reporters Monday.
Kaletra is already understudied in a randomized controlled trial, the gold standard for testing new medical products, in new coronavirus patients in Wuhan, China. The decision of Thai doctors to administer the flu shot was based on research indicating that it helped some of the deadliest coronavirus patients cause Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome. A study conducted by researchers in France recommended that it be used in these patients called MERS, but has been suspended if tests show that they have no influence.
"There is still insufficient evidence to support efficacy," said Somkiat. “But we report that we contribute to the medical community worldwide. The results look good so far. "
Of the three patients in Thailand who started single therapy with three drugs, two continue to receive the drugs, Somkiat said. Treatment was stopped in one patient who developed a rash. He said one of the two who continue to receive the drugs tested negative for the 2019-nCoV virus.
"Since there is no standard procedure yet, we are trying new combinations of drugs," said Somkiat.
Thailand will return more than 100 people to Wuhan on February 4 after passing the medical exam in China, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Chanvirakul said on Sunday. They will then be quarantined for 14 days after returning to Thailand.
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