The clinical trial of a drug that one expert says looks 91裸聊视频渧ery promising91裸聊视频� for use in stopping the progression of COVID-19 moved into a new phase this week, with the opportunity to participate now open to all eligible patients in the Fraser Health region.

Dr. Gregory Haljan 91裸聊视频� head of Surrey Memorial Hospital91裸聊视频檚 critical care unit and Fraser Health91裸聊视频檚 regional medical director for research 91裸聊视频� said Monday (April 26) that around 300 COVID-19-positive patients are sought to receive the medication bamlanivimab as part of the B-EPIC (Bamlanivimab-Emergency Passive Immunity in COVID-19) study.

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Designed in January, the study aims to determine if the antibody can prevent those who get COVID-19 from getting so sick they need to be hospitalized 91裸聊视频� and if it can, 91裸聊视频渨ell, we really need that right now,91裸聊视频� Haljan said.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e in the third wave,91裸聊视频� Haljan said of the pandemic. 91裸聊视频淭his is the worst it91裸聊视频檚 been (in the SMH intensive care unit) yet. We91裸聊视频檙e working about as hard as we can right now in the ICU.

91裸聊视频淭his third wave has been a real kick in the pants.91裸聊视频�

Researchers also want to learn if bamlanivimab can reduce the long-term effects of the illness.

Its use for COVID-19 treatment in high-risk patients has interim approval from Health Canada. The drug is designed to block the COVID-19 virus from attaching to and entering cells, thus potentially preventing the illness from worsening in newly diagnosed patients.

91裸聊视频淥nce you get an infection, it91裸聊视频檚 too late for a vaccine to work,91裸聊视频� Haljan said. 91裸聊视频淲hat we want to do is provide those antibodies (that a vaccine typically triggers a body to produce) early in the disease, to give the immune system a head start.91裸聊视频�

Recruiting for the study opened in March to residents of Surrey, White Rock and Delta. It then expanded to include patients living in Burnaby, Langley, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

Haljan said participants must begin the therapy within three days of a positive COVID-19 test, or within 10 days of their first symptoms.

Eligible participants are those 65 and older, or between 18 and 64 years old who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have at least one illness or condition that puts them at risk of being hospitalized for COVID-19 infection.

Haljan hopes to recruit up to 20 patients per day over the next two weeks, in order to complete the study by May 9.

Currently, the medication is being delivered at an infusion clinic set up at Peace Arch Hospital, but Haljan said the hope is to establish more clinics this week, particularly in the Fraser East area.

He emphasized that while the medication only has interim approval, it is 91裸聊视频渧ery safe,91裸聊视频� and, it has been found to 91裸聊视频渞etain activity91裸聊视频� against the U.K variant of COVID-19; the most prevalent variant in Canada.

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The study, he noted, 91裸聊视频渋s asking questions nobody else in the world is asking right now about this drug.91裸聊视频�

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