Peg-interferon Lambda Single Dose Treatment for COVID-19: A Call to Avoid another
Hydroxychloroquine Fiasco, T Mina, MD Kelleni
In this perspective the author counter-argues a claim that was recently made that a single dose of Peg-interferon lambda can significantly lower incidence of COVID-19 hospitalizations or emergency department. The author discusses the flaws in a recently published article that suggested this benefit while asking the global authorities to learn from the prior mistakes and to be of utmost caution when considering its decision regarding adoption of a single dose of Peginterferon lambda to manage COVID-19.
subcutaneous dose of Peginterferon Lambda-1a or placebo along with the standard of care and followed for 28 days, the results showed no difference in duration of SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding and time to symptom resolution when compared with placebo (NCT04331899) as declared by the company on 28 September 2020. However, few days later, on 15 October 2020, the company cherished the results of 60 Canadian patients who were randomized 1:1 to a single subcutaneous dose of Lambda 180 mcg or normal saline placebo and were followed for 14 days, to be noted that when this trial (NCT04354259), called ILIAD, was published at The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, we found the founder of Eiger BioPharmaceuticals as well as other employees among its authors and the principal investigator declares receiving "research support unrelated to this work from Eiger BioPharmaceuticals" [9] . Taken together, I would like to express my rare support to the recent decision made by the American FDA to dismiss a request made by a pharmaceutical company to obtain an EUA for its pegylated interferon lambda to be used, as described in that clinical trial, for patients suffering from COVID-19. Furthermore, I wish to call for a very cautious re-analysis of all the results mentioned in the discussed clinical trial including the reported serious adverse effects. Finally, I wish to confirm the wisdom of a brilliant published observation, though I disagree with its authors regarding the interpretations leading..
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