Anti-inflammatory Drug Helps Reduce Recovery Time for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Adding an anti-inflammatory drug to remdesivir allows a COVD-19 patient confined in the hospital to recover faster.

This announcement was made by drug company Eli Lilly which manufactures the anti-inflammatory drug Olumiant with the generic name baricitinib.

According to Eli Lilly, the finding was a result of a study of 1,000 patients confined in the hospital sponsored by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Although the result has not yet been reviewed by independent scientists or published, the government confirmed the announcement of the drug company, according to a report on the Politico.

The anti-inflammatory drug Olumiant is sold by Eli Lilly as a treatment to rheumatoid arthritis, the kind of arthritis that occurs when the immune system mistakenly or overreacts and attacks the joints resulting to inflammation.

An overactive immune system could also lead to serious problems among COVID-19 patients.

Remdesivir, on the other hand, is the generic name of the drug Veklury which is manufactured by Gilead Sciences. It is a broad-spectrum antiviral medication that is administered via injection to the vein.

It was the first drug that was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a treatment to COVID-19.

All of the patients who were part of the test were given remdesivir and became well enough to be able to leave the hospital after 11 days instead of 15.

However, those patients who were also given the baricitinib on top of the remdesivir recovered one day sooner or on Day 10 than those who were given just the remdesivir. The study started last May 8.

Eli Lilly is planning to discuss with the regulators the possible emergency use of the anti-inflammatory drug baricitinib on COVID-19 patients confined at the hospitals.

Remdesivir was also given an emergency use authorization by the FDA on May 1 following the release of a notable study done at the end of April.

According to the Cision PR Newswire, should the anti-inflammatory drug get an approval, Eli Lilly plans to propose for the drug to be sold commercially, which is the usual means.

Based on the current pricing of the anti-inflammatory drug, the government would be able to acquire it for $105 per patient each day.

While the price will be pegged at $150 each day for people who have private insurance.

In another study, inflammation has been pointed to by several health experts as the reason why some COVID-19 patients with advanced age are having a hard time fighting off the virus.

According to a report on the Latin Post, the inflammation is a result of an aging immune system or an overreacting immune system which could happen among younger COVID-19 patients.

But the result pertaining to the anti-inflammatory drug baricitinib stated that it should be noted that many of the 1,000 COVID-19 patients who were part of the study were also given steroid drugs which research said can lower the risk of death for severely ill, hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

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