Cambodia Confirms 13th Human Case of Avian Flu
Cambodia health officials confirmed an Avian Flu infection of a young child in Tbong Khumum province. The 6-year-old boy has severe symptoms such as breathing problems and is being treated in the the intensive care unit. The country has seen an uptick of infections recently, 8 cases reported since early June. The latest case marks the eighth since early June. The child became ill after handling a chicken infected with the virus.
Full Story: CIDRAP
Long COVID Drug Shows Promise Despite Failed Trial
Long COVID can be a debilitating disease for millions of people throughout the world. An estimated 6-10% of people who have had a COVID-19 infection have experienced long COVID. For people with long COVID, treatment options are very limited. Despite recent setbacks, a new drug called BC 007 still shows promise for helping people recover. A phase II trial, conducted by German start-up Berlin Cures, demonstrated that some participants treated with the drug saw decreased their symptoms. However, some scientists who reviewed the study said that it suffered from flawed study design and participant recruitment methods. A smaller study of the drug conducted at University Hospital Erlangen, found that BC 007 improved long COVID symptoms. This study used better methodology than the Berlin Cures phase II trial.
A new company named APTA Therapeutics, headed by former Berlin Cures CEO Oliver von Stein, has purchased the rights to BC 007 will continue to research the promising drug. Oliver von Stein says his new start-up plans to heed the lessons learned from the first trial’s flaws when designing future studies.
Full Story: STAT, The Sick Times
