While multiple pharmaceutical companies look for vaccines to fight against coronavirus, others are getting into the business of reducing symptoms of the disease that often cause hospitalization.
Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly announced significant progress this week with its antibody treatment, called LY-CoV555, which appears to reduce the number of COVID-19 patients admitted for care.
"We believe that the data that we generated could be a real turning point in the fight against the coronavirus," said Andrew Adams, vice president of new therapeutic modalities and COVID-19 research.
"This is the first time we have a real understanding of the virus in the outpatient setting," he told Cheddar. "This data represents, really, a first in terms of potential options for patients in the future should this data bear out in bigger studies."
The drugmaker has also conducted a successful round of trials using rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib and antiviral medication remdesivir to reduce the number of days a patient requires hospitalization
When comparing the two options, Adams said deciding which treatment better suits patients depends on how long an individual has been living with the virus. People that have been hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 are more likely to have more internal damage "because of the inflammatory reaction to the virus" and likely benefit more from the baricitinib and remdesivir cocktail.
"In the prophylactic setting, for example, in the nursing homes, you likely wouldn't see the same kind of benefit as you'd see in a hospitalized setting because the immune system isn't as involved yet in the symptoms of the disease," he explained.
When it comes to costs, Eli Lilly says it's keeping families in mind, especially as medical bills and other expenses pile up amid the pandemic. Adams said the company is also working with physicians and patients to get a better understanding of their needs.
"The key guiding principle from our leadership team here at Lilly is making sure that patients who need access to our medicines in the coronavirus space get their access — around the globe, not just here in the U.S.," Adams said.
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The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
