Researchers in Costa Rica are due to begin trials of an inexpensive coronavirus treatment based on antibodies taken from horses injected with the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to scientists.
Developed by University of Costa Rica’s Clodomiro Picado Institute (ICP), the equine antibodies medication is to be tested on 26 patients from mid-September, Roman Macaya, president of the Social Security Fund that manages public health centres, told Reuters news agency.
Costa Rican authorities hope to be able to begin applying the treatment more widely in hospitals if the results from the phase two study are encouraging. There are 471 hospitalised coronavirus patients in Costa Rica.
“We are proud to know that this product will save lives until the vaccine reaches the population,” said Alberto Alape, a project coordinator at ICP. (Aljazeera)