Two promising therapies among weapons dispatched against COVID-19 Plasma and stem cell (SC) therapies are two of the emerging star treatments being used in the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Against COVID-19, they're considered stop-gap measures, while the world awaits a vaccine. Both, however, have proven effective against severe cases infections caused by the novel coronavirus, which has already killed over 502,000 and infected 10.1 million. Plasma and SC therapies have similarities, as well as obvious differences. Q: What are their similarities? Both plasma and stem cell therapies rely on rejuvenating damaged body tissue. They both form part of what's described as “regenerative medicine”, a fast-emerging branch of medical science involving techniques that help restore the function of tissues or organs. Being “regenerative” treatments (or therapies), they encourage your body to use its natural abilities to heal injuries or other types of tissue damage or infl
Remdesivir: Drug has 'clear-cut' power to fight coronavirus There is "clear-cut" evidence that a drug can help people recover from the coronavirus, say US officials. Remdesivir cut the duration of symptoms from 15 days down to 11 in clinical trial at hospitals around the world. The full details have not been published, but experts said it would be a "fantastic result" if confirmed, but not a "magic bullet" for the disease. A drug would have the potential to save lives, ease pressure on hospitals and allow parts of lockdown to be lifted. Remdesivir was originally developed as an Ebola treatment. It is an antiviral and works by attacking an enzyme that a virus needs in order to replicate inside our cells. The trial was run by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and 1,063 people took part. Some patients were given the drug while others received a placebo (dummy) treatment. Dr Anthony Fauci who runs the N