There is a new Seeking Alpha article about Merck e
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Posted On: 06/26/2021 7:47:37 PM
There is a new Seeking Alpha article about Merck entitled:
Merck Desperate To Get Back In Coronavirus Race, With A Pill
Leronlimab is mentioned. The author disclosed that he is long CYDY. Here are some excerpts.
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4436693-merc...L2_pHreEd0
Merck (MRK) is looking for redemption, and a way to get back into the race is to develop a pill that can treat COVID-19. As the 2nd largest vaccine maker in the world they were the favorite to win the vaccine race, but they squandered their positioning with a late start and were unable to get any traction in their development. They are in a similar situation where they were the odds on favorite to produce a COVID-19 pill, but the competition is heating up as they are pitted against treatments that are more efficacious. The company’s expertise and recent success is from Keytruda and oncology, so they really need a win in the COVID-19 indication to stay relevant in the infectious diseases space.
Right now, no treatment exists where a clinician can prescribe a treatment that definitely lessens the chance of hospitalization upon diagnosis. The closest treatment that showed promise in a phase 2 trial was a subcutaneous injection of a monoclonal antibody called leronlimab, which helps prevent a cytokine storm and inflammation that damages the lungs. The drug is manufactured by CytoDyn (OTCQB:CYDY) and demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the NEWS2 endpoint, which is a prognosticator of hospitalization.
However, the FDA required a larger study so it appears that the company chose to focus on the severe to critical population instead. They already had a trial started for this population. They are also running a trial for long-haulers which may have a larger population than the severe to critical population now that the vaccines are widely administrated.
Gilead Sciences’ (GILD) well-known remdesivir is administered intravenously, which means it will only be useful in already-hospitalized patients; nobody wants to be hospitalized before they can receive treatment. There are no oral antivirals that are approved. Leronlimab is a subcutaneous shot.
Merck Desperate To Get Back In Coronavirus Race, With A Pill
Leronlimab is mentioned. The author disclosed that he is long CYDY. Here are some excerpts.
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4436693-merc...L2_pHreEd0
Merck (MRK) is looking for redemption, and a way to get back into the race is to develop a pill that can treat COVID-19. As the 2nd largest vaccine maker in the world they were the favorite to win the vaccine race, but they squandered their positioning with a late start and were unable to get any traction in their development. They are in a similar situation where they were the odds on favorite to produce a COVID-19 pill, but the competition is heating up as they are pitted against treatments that are more efficacious. The company’s expertise and recent success is from Keytruda and oncology, so they really need a win in the COVID-19 indication to stay relevant in the infectious diseases space.
Right now, no treatment exists where a clinician can prescribe a treatment that definitely lessens the chance of hospitalization upon diagnosis. The closest treatment that showed promise in a phase 2 trial was a subcutaneous injection of a monoclonal antibody called leronlimab, which helps prevent a cytokine storm and inflammation that damages the lungs. The drug is manufactured by CytoDyn (OTCQB:CYDY) and demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the NEWS2 endpoint, which is a prognosticator of hospitalization.
However, the FDA required a larger study so it appears that the company chose to focus on the severe to critical population instead. They already had a trial started for this population. They are also running a trial for long-haulers which may have a larger population than the severe to critical population now that the vaccines are widely administrated.
Gilead Sciences’ (GILD) well-known remdesivir is administered intravenously, which means it will only be useful in already-hospitalized patients; nobody wants to be hospitalized before they can receive treatment. There are no oral antivirals that are approved. Leronlimab is a subcutaneous shot.
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(1)CytoDyn Inc (CYDY) Stock Research Links
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