Social Media Giants Introduce Features to Aid Small Enterprises Amid Pandemic
Facebook and Instagram have unveiled new functionalities to assist small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, as reported by TechCrunch. Facebook now includes a "Businesses Nearby" section that displays posts from companies requiring support. Users can define a search radius ranging from 2 to 800 kilometers, send a direct message, or schedule a delivery. Instagram, on the other hand, has introduced a "Support Small Business" sticker for Stories. By tagging brand accounts, users allow others to preview them. Photos and videos marked with this sticker are aggregated into a public Stories collection viewed by many.
Canada to Conduct Human Trials of Chinese COVID-19 Vaccine
The National Research Council of Canada has announced a partnership with CanSino Biologics Inc., a Chinese firm that was among the first globally to advance a vaccine into clinical trials, according to CNN. The collaboration involves...
“This vaccine has great promise. Until an effective vaccine against COVID-19 is created, the virus will continue to destroy all aspects of our society and economy,” said Ian Stewart, president of the National Research Council (NRC).
Stewart added that the NRC will participate in the clinical trials, for which they hold high expectations. Should the trials succeed and receive approval from Chinese regulators, the Canadian Research Center will ramp up vaccine manufacturing in Montreal. Subsequently, a human clinical trial will be conducted under the oversight of Health Canada, the country's drug regulatory authority.
Disulfiram Identified as Potential Blocker of Cytokine Storm in COVID-19
Disulfiram, a medication approved for alcohol dependence, demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory properties in preclinical sepsis research. Since the hyperinflammatory response in sepsis mirrors that seen in COVID-19, American researchers believe this drug holds significant promise against the novel coronavirus. The drug was found to inhibit the key regulatory protein Gasdermin D, which plays a role in inflammation. Activation of this protein marks the final step of pyroptosis—a form of programmed cell death that triggers the release of inflammatory cytokines.
Findings from the initial preclinical trials were posted on Harvard University's website. While screening for Gasdermin D inhibitors, researchers evaluated more than 3,700 candidates and identified 22 highly active compounds, with disulfiram emerging as the most promising. This discovery could lead to new ways of curbing excessive inflammation in conditions like sepsis, gout, inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer's, and others. Yet during the current pandemic, the primary focus remains on treating COVID-19.
“COVID-19 can cause inflammation similar to sepsis, so the effect of disulfiram must be tested against coronavirus infection,” the authors emphasize. Excessive immune response is one of the main causes of fatal complications with COVID-19, and therefore all potential options for reducing inflammation should be explored.
Triple Antiviral Regimen Cuts COVID-19 Duration by Nearly Half
Researchers from Hong Kong have published findings from the second phase of clinical trials involving 127 adult COVID-19 patients. Participants received a triple antiviral drug regimen combined with standard care—including mechanical ventilation, antibiotics, corticosteroids, and other therapies. The trial demonstrated that early administration of this three-drug combination is both effective and safe for patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, cutting the illness duration by nearly half. The regimen consists of interferon beta-1b, lopinavir-ritonavir, and ribavirin. The authors noted that the combination was well tolerated and safe, with greater efficacy observed when treatment began early.
“Interferon beta-1b can be a key component of combination treatment and requires further study for COVID-19 therapy,” said study co-author Jenny Law. The drug was developed to treat multiple sclerosis and could potentially increase the body’s ability to fight COVID-19, she said.
The upcoming phase three trial will aim to validate or disprove interferon beta-1b's central role in this treatment approach. Additionally, the team plans to evaluate the therapy in patients with severe COVID-19.
Inexpensive Antigen Test Confirms Absence of COVID-19 in 15 Minutes
European researchers have affirmed that antigen tests for COVID-19 can play a valuable role in combating the pandemic. While not perfectly accurate—detecting only about six out of ten infected individuals—their speed, affordability, and simplicity make them particularly beneficial for resource-limited areas. Their key strength lies in correctly identifying nearly 100% of healthy individuals.
Fast and reliable testing is regarded as one of the few means to curb virus transmission prior to a vaccine. The Ag Respi-Strip tests, produced by Belgian firm Coris BioConcept, are now commercially available and can detect infection antigens within 15 minutes, though their efficacy had been debated. A European research team, as reported by EurekAlert, has settled this debate. They conducted a two-stage accuracy assessment of the new test—first in the lab, then on samples from 300 COVID-19 patients.
The test identified infection in 57.6% of cases and correctly ruled it out in 99.5% of cases. Its sensitivity improves with higher viral loads. The authors note that while the Ag Respi-Strip is significantly less sensitive than PCR tests that detect viral RNA, it can still aid in spotting new outbreak clusters and screening high-risk populations.
Cover image sourced from Unsplash
