Friday, March 27th 2020, 3:35 am
Friday the first hospital in Oklahoma will begin clinical research trials for a possible COVID-19 treatment drug.
The drug used in the trial is called Sarilumab, which is normally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Coronavirus patients are at risk of developing life-threatening respiratory failure, so doctors say they hope this drug will bring down the swelling in their lungs.
Saint John began enrolling patients in the trial on Thursday, March 26th. All of the patients have tested positive for COVID-19, been in the hospital, and are severely sick.
The drug has showed promise during a small-scale study in China earlier this year. The study showed patients’ fevers broke and had an easier time breathing.
Saint John’s research is sponsored by a New York based pharmaceutical company, which is getting support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
April 24th, 2020