Repurposing existing drugs to treat COVID19 provides our best opportunity to save lives ASAP. As I like to say, we’ve got to teach old dogs new tricks! I know the power of drug repurposing: I’m alive today thanks to a repurposed drug. Given the overlap between COVID19 and Castleman disease, I’ve suspected that treatments used for Castleman disease could be helpful against COVID19.
Big news out today! A large, randomized controlled trial of dexamethasone demonstrated a 35% decrease in mortality among patients on ventilators and a 20% decrease in mortality among patients on oxygen compared to controls. Corticosteroids, including dexamethasone, are often used in Castleman disease and are in the top 5 most frequently used drugs in our CORONA database of all COVID19 treatments worldwide. We’re thrilled that this drug seems to be effective, but more work is needed and we will continue to maintain the world’s only database of all drugs given to COVID19 patients.
I’ve personally taken a lot of dexamethasone over the years… We’re thrilled that this drug seems to be effective, but more work is needed and we will continue to maintain the world’s only database of all drugs given to COVID19 patients at www.CDCN.org/CORONA.