HKU researchers find triple drug suppresses virus nearly twice as fast as single drug

A combination of three drugs suppressed the virus that causes Covid19 within seven days when used on patients in Hong Kong, nearly twice as fast as the drugs were used singly, according to a study led by HKU infectious disease expert Prof Yuen Kwok-yung.

The study, published in The Lancet on 8th May,  found that three antiviral drugs, interferon beta-1b, lopinavir-ritonavir and ribavirin  were “safe and more effective” in reducing the time when the coronavirus is detectable and potentially transmissible, for patients with mild to moderate symptoms.

The Lancet article has prompted a flurry of reports in the news media, making headlines in both the medical and the popular media. See Reuters, SCMP, ABCNews, ExpressPhama   Science Media Center,  EurekaAlert, MedPage Today

Professor Yuen said in a statement. “Our trial demonstrates that early treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 with a triple combination of antiviral drugs may rapidly suppress the amount of virus in a patient’s body, relieve symptoms, and reduce the risk to health care workers by reducing the duration and quantity of viral shedding” or the period during which the virus is detectable and transmissible-