'Pandemic' scientist makes breakthrough on Covid-19 cure

rnz.co.nz

12 points·antimora··6 comments

'Breakthrough' seems to be a slightly strong word here; this is one of what might be more than 100 parallel efforts to create a COVID-19 treatment going on around the globe.

The next breakthrough isn't going to be a good idea that is testable; they already exist. What is needed at the moment is something that has scientific evidence (ie, a good solid clinical trial) behind it and that is cheap to produce.

For example someone in Bern took a gherkin virus and modified it to trigger an immune response against SARS-CoV-2. I saw in Swiss television that they already have something that works and are now conducting tests and ramping up production. They hope to be ready end of year.

https://www.nzz.ch/wissenschaft/coronavirus-impfstoffe-aus-d... (in German)

This is just one of the many parallel efforts.

People are looking for some rays of hope in these dark times, so perhaps the publication can be forgiven to hype up some local researcher's work.

On the contrary. It is when people want to be misled into false hopes that it is the press' duty to avoid doing so.

This sounds like monoclonal antibodies. Aren’t those extremely toilsome to produce, therefore cost tons of money?

Yes, they also require extensive testing for a safety profile to be determined.

Unless there will also be a pretty big advancement in fabrication this will likely will never enter the market outside of potentially an orphan drug for the wealthy.

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