PHARMACEUTICAL AND THERAPEUTIC DEVELOPMENTS
The research focused on the pharmaceutical treatment of Ebola infection has produced somewhat disappointing results. One candidate drug, TKM-Ebola, after showing promise in primates, has subsequently been demonstrated to be ineffective in treating human Ebola infection.[54] Although the other experimental IgG-based monoclonal antibody-based drug ZMapp has shown good efficacy in primates,[55] there is no compelling evidence that it is effective in humans.[56] In addition, despite a poorly defined safety profile, the drug recently received fast track approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).[57]
A number of so-called “small-molecule” agents have been tried during the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak, including Lamivudine (a nucleoside analog of cytidine by GlaxoSmithKline, UK); Favipiravir (a pyrazinecarboxamide derivative by Toyama Chemical, Japan); and Brincidofovir (a lipid-conjugated analog of cidofovir by Chimerix, USA).[56] Following review by the WHO, lamivudine was not recommended in the management of EBOV disease.[58] The clinical trial of brincidofovir by Chimerix was canceled due to lack of participation in Liberia.[56] There is ongoing clinical trials work (phase II) on favipiravir.[59]