3 ms·

This is exactly why Gilead won’t allow the similar drug to be used in cats. They don’t want to know about negative side effects that might then hinder the drug’

This is exactly why Gilead won’t allow the similar drug to be used in cats. They don’t want to know about negative side effects that might then hinder the drug’s approval for use in humans. If ever there has been a business decision to illustrate the whole “putting profits over people” this is it. And sunk costs, too.

parhamn 6y ago
> They don’t want to know about negative side effects that might then hinder the drug’s approval for use in humans. This argument actually threw me for a loop. Now I'm concerned about all the other drugs that the cats didn't use first. It must be the one major missing protocol from our vastly successful drug regulation system. /s
- elliekelly 6y ago
  It’s not the lack of cat testing that rubs me the wrong way so much as the willful ignorance of potential risks/harm.
  - cowsandmilk 6y ago
    There are a ton of studies that show side effects in non-human animals are not a good predictor of side effects in humans; and this becomes more true with rarer side effects. There is not good correlation of side effects between different animals and failures in phase 1 studies often show that safety data in animals did not predict side effects in humans that became apparent in very small human populations. So, widespread use in animals can actually harm humans by bubbling up side effects that are not relevant to humans. Among some safety people, there is even a question of whether there are drugs shelved for animal side effects that would be 100% safe in humans. But if a drug killed half your rats, you cannot ethically start dosing humans with it.
refurb 6y ago
Where are you getting this from? The only mention of cats in the article is actual data of the drug in cats. When GS-441524 was used to treat cats with feline infectious peritonitis, a progressive and usually fatal disease caused by a coronavirus, it displayed remarkable safety and therapeutic efficacy, with 96% of cats recovering after treatment.
- elliekelly 6y ago
  Apologies, I meant to say I had submitted the article on HN a few days ago and it seems I forgot. Link here: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/05/remdesivir-cats/611341/ https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/05/remdesiv...

parhamn 6y ago

> They don’t want to know about negative side effects that might then hinder the drug’s approval for use in humans. This argument actually threw me for a loop. Now I'm concerned about all the other drugs that the cats didn't use first. It must be the one major missing protocol from our vastly successful drug regulation system. /s

elliekelly 6y ago
It’s not the lack of cat testing that rubs me the wrong way so much as the willful ignorance of potential risks/harm.
- cowsandmilk 6y ago
  There are a ton of studies that show side effects in non-human animals are not a good predictor of side effects in humans; and this becomes more true with rarer side effects. There is not good correlation of side effects between different animals and failures in phase 1 studies often show that safety data in animals did not predict side effects in humans that became apparent in very small human populations. So, widespread use in animals can actually harm humans by bubbling up side effects that are not relevant to humans. Among some safety people, there is even a question of whether there are drugs shelved for animal side effects that would be 100% safe in humans. But if a drug killed half your rats, you cannot ethically start dosing humans with it.

refurb 6y ago

Where are you getting this from? The only mention of cats in the article is actual data of the drug in cats. When GS-441524 was used to treat cats with feline infectious peritonitis, a progressive and usually fatal disease caused by a coronavirus, it displayed remarkable safety and therapeutic efficacy, with 96% of cats recovering after treatment.

elliekelly 6y ago
Apologies, I meant to say I had submitted the article on HN a few days ago and it seems I forgot. Link here: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/05/remdesivir-cats/611341/ https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/05/remdesiv...