Starting next week, The Straits Times (ST) reports that Singapore will start clinical trials on 23 healthy people for a drug developed by Tychan, which is based locally and funded by Temasek Holdings.
Along with Tychan, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Economic Development Board, Ministry of Health, and other government agencies are also involved in its development.
TY027, a monoclonal antibody, is supposed to target the virus which brings about Covid-19.
If successful, frontliners in hospitals and other care facilities may be able to take it to temporarily prevent themselves from being infected.
The drug may also speed up recovery and slow down the virus, according to ST.
The first phase of the trial will last around 6 weeks.
Antibodies might be able to prevent infections, since they’re normally produced by the body while fighting them.
A Tychan co-founder, Duke-NUS Medical School Professor Ooi Eng Eong, said the successful use of the antibodies opens up situations where if say, someone wants to travel overseas, they can use the drug so they are protected for a while.
MINDEF also made a statement on TY027 on their Facebook page on Wednesday (10 Jun).
While lab studies show that TY027 is effective against the Covid-19 virus, they also said assessments will take several months before they can determine if the treatment is safe for use on patients.
The possibility of TY027 being able to prevent Covid-19, even if temporarily, would be a big breakthrough in getting the world back on track after it came to a halt for several months.
Its success would mean that while Covid-19 might return someday, it might be treated on the level of influenza seasons.
Healthcare workers can also be adequately protected without the need for restrictive personal protective equipment (PPE).
But most of all, there definitely wouldn’t be as much disruption to economies than currently.
While we’re hopeful that the trials will be successful, we’ll have to wait a few months for the results.
Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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