IG Biotech Group, a coalition of biotech and pharmaceutical experts, aims to bring to the Philippines an antibody-based prevention and treatment for COVID-19 by the third quarter of 2020.

The proposed antibody-based treatment is meant to alleviate active infections and provide short-term immunity or prophylaxis, against the virus, while the commercial production of COVID-19 vaccine is still far at hand.

IG Biotech is a partnership between IP Biotech, an importer, wholesaler, and retail administrator of vaccines in the Philippines in the last 15 years, and local biotech firm Secura, which has a team of experts in pandemic, infectious diseases and vaccine development.

The group is supported by VINS Bioproducts, an Indian biopharmaceutical company that produces antisera, antitoxins, and immunoglobulin-based products.

IP Biotech chair Enrique Gonzalez said in a press statement on Sunday that the group was “working around the clock” to develop the COVID-19 treatment and was on track to conduct clinical trials by mid-year.

Subject to the results of the clinical studies and upcoming regulatory approvals, IG Biotech and partners hope to offer in the Philippines – where the infection rate has yet to peak and is expected to rise well above current numbers over the next months – this treatment by the third quarter of 2020.

“We have focused on an anti-body treatment due to the shorter timeline for development, and the high degree of safety and predictability during trials. We are merely taking nature’s (human immune system) answer to COVID and distilling it into a vial form which can be administered safely and conveniently,” Gonzales explained.

Noel Miranda – former ASEAN Regional Coordinator for Multi-sectoral Pandemic Preparedness and Response and member of the scientific team of IG Biotech – said the treatment was intended to provide individuals, especially healthcare workers, frontliners, and other high-risk individuals, a vital 30-day window of passive immunity to the virus. The treatment also intends to prevent symptoms from worsening in critical cases.

“With the increasing number of infected frontline healthcare personnel, it is of the highest priority to provide proven protection and peace of mind to frontline personnel and their families,” Miranda said.

The treatment being developed will make use of antibodies, also known as hyperimmune globulins, found in convalescent plasma (CP) obtained from former COVID-19 patients.
Historically, this type of antibody treatment has been used in previous outbreaks such as SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV.

“The results of various clinical trials on convalescent plasma being undertaken all over the world will provide further data on clinical efficacy of the treatment. However, already, there is strong evidence available to show that this approach is highly likely to be successful,” Miranda said.

IG Biotech plans to collaborate with the Philippine General Hospital/UP College of Medicine on plasma collection, pre-clinical testing and conduct of clinical studies.

Charlotte Chiong, dean of the UP College of Medicine, expressed interest to conduct the study. “We should see how we can
explore this as a prophylaxis for our frontliners. Perhaps a multiagency research team can move this forward,” she said.

Source: Inquirer

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MANILA — The Luzon-wide lockdown has achieved “relative success” but COVID-19 could still trigger outbreaks in Metro Manila and 15 provinces, experts from the University of the Philippines said.

The Philippines currently has the most number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia with 4,932 as of Monday, even if the UP study noted that it now took 6 days for confirmed cases to double compared to 3 previously.

“Based on these trends, one can estimate about 9,000 to 44,000 possible cases reported by the end of April 2020,” according to the study by the UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team.

“In general, this indicates the relative success of the enhanced community quarantine–along with other interventions–in containing the spread of the virus.”

But the government should also prepare for possible outbreaks in 13 areas in Luzon, 2 provinces in the Visayas, and 1 in Mindanao, according to study, which cited reported cases from these areas as of April 9.

Based on the group’s mathematical model, these provinces registered a probability of more than 90 percent that they would experience a COVID-19 outbreak.

“May expectation kami na next na so we’re telling government, dito kayo maghanda,” Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, UP executive vice president who co-leads the study group, too ABS-CBN News.

(We expect that they’ll come next so we’re telling the government to prepare in these places.)

GRADUATED ACTIVATION

Aside from Metro Manila, the study identified the provinces as: Aklan, Bataan, Batangas, Benguet, Bulacan, Cavite, Cebu, Davao Del Sur, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal, and Tarlac.

The model was intended to help guide both the national and local governments on what to do after the end of the Luzon lockdown on April 30.

One option, according to the study, is to continue the enhanced community quarantine in high-risk areas, and implement stricter measures in those with an even higher probability of an outbreak, according to the study.

Others with “80 to less than 90-percent probability” of an outbreak may be covered by a less stringent “general community quarantine.”

For the rest of the provinces, community quarantine may be lifted but the government should still implement physical distancing, information campaigns, contact tracing, and home quarantine for probable cases, the study said.

“Successful as it may seem, an enhanced community quarantine covering a wide area may not be sustainable over the long run,” it said.

“Our best recourse after April 30 is to implement graduated activation of enhanced community quarantine depending on the level of risk in certain areas at a given time.”

The UP experts clarified that the projections were based on existing Department of Health reports and “highly dependent on efforts in discovering new cases.”

DO WE HAVE ENOUGH HOSPITAL BEDS?

The government has quarantined the entire island of Luzon, home to more than 57 million people, to “flatten” the COVID-19 infection curve and avoid overburdening hospitals.

The Philippines has a total of 101,688 hospital beds, according to health department data as of 2018.

But Level 3 hospitals—those “ideal” for COVID-19 cases—have only 38,763 beds or less than the minimum 42,954 hospital beds needed during the projected peak of the infection, said Herbosa, citing estimates prepared by the UP study group.

The figure was based on a reproduction number of 2, meaning a person sick with COVID-19 can infect 2 others.

A reproduction number of 3 (as many as 3 persons can be infected) would require 57,272 hospital beds nationwide.

If the infection rate is 4, the country would need 64,431 beds. In this case, Metro Manila alone would need 53,612 beds.

ONLY 3 VENTILATORS FOR BARMM

Ventilators might also be a problem despite the country’s current supply of 1,572 units, based on a survey by the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) as of March 22 this year.

But 80 to 90 percent of these ventilators are currently in use for other patients “that’s why our problem is bigger,” said Herbosa, who serves as a medical adviser to the government on COVID-19.

“Wala naman sa store room yan. Nakakabit sa pasyente. So pag may bagong pasyente, wala kang ikakabit,” he added.

(They’re not in store rooms. They’re attached to patients. So if you have a new patient, you may not have something to use.)

Studies showed that some 5 percent of COVID-19 patients are considered critically ill and need to be attached to a ventilator.

Metro Manila hospitals have most of the ventilators with 423 units, followed by Region 11 with 253, and Region 7 with 160.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which has a population of around 4 million, has only 3 ventilators, according to the PCP survey.

The region has 3 fatalities out of 8 cases as of April 6, according to the DOH website.

“Once you go out of the metropolitan cities… you probably have only Level 2 hospitals that don’t have a lot of ICUs and probably won’t have a single ventilator. This is the scary part,” Herbosa said.

“This is why we’re pushing for more public health measures to flatten the curve or decrease transmission because if you just allow transmission to happen, so many of our fellow Filipinos will die.

Source: ABS-CBN News

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Central Luzon police conduct a series of anti-illegal drug raids in Olongapo and Angeles City.

PAMPANGA, Philippines – Police intelligence and anti-illegal drugs operatives confiscated P1 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu from 6 suspected drug traders in 3 villages of Olongapo City in Zambales on March 26 and 27.

In a Police Regional Office 3 (Central Luzon) press release sent to local media Monday, March 30, Olongapo City police director Colonel Benjamin Sembrano identified the arrested suspects in buy-bust operations at Barangay Pag-asa and Barangay Gordon Heights as Magnolia Chan, 22; Bhob Christian Andrade, 22; Benjamin Hernandez, 25; Muslimen Berca, 42.

He said the 4 are included in the Philippine National Police-Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency watch list.

Confiscated from the suspects were 41 pieces of heat-sealed plastic sachets of possible shabu weighing 150 grams with street value of P500,000; a sachet of dried marijuana leaves; 130 tablets of possible party drugs; and a 9mm Glock 19 pistol with a magazine loaded with 15 live bullets

At Baloy Beach, Barangay Barreto, policemen arrested Omar Khan Benito, 30; and Ceferino Estrada, 52, who yielded 10 sachets of possible shabu weighing 150 grams with street value of P500,000.

In Barangay Ninoy Aquino, Angeles City, barangay tanod enforcing curfew on March 26 chanced upon 3 individuals who were in the act of transacting a sale of illegal drugs.

The suspects were later identified as Francis Vargas, 39, a former inmate at the Angeles City District Jail; Analinda Gonzales, 43; and Roderick Pija, 46.

In a report by the Angeles City police, it was learned that the roaming barangay watchment saw Pija loitering on the street around 11 pm and told him to go home.

After a while, the watchmen saw him again, this time talking with a man and a woman.

As the barangay officers got closer, they noticed Pija throwing something on the pavement, which turned out to be a sachet of shabu.

The tanods also confiscated from Vargas and Gonzales a black coin purse containing 3 sachets of possible shabu.

All arrested suspects in Olongapo City and Angeles City are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Aside from drugs possession and selling, Pija, Vargas and Gonzales face charges for violation RA 11332 for violating the government guidelines on Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

Violating quarantine rules

Meanwhile, PRO3 police director Brigadier General Rhodel Sermonia announced on Tuesday, March 31, that the regional police was able to arrest around 12,000 persons for violating ECQ rules and guidelines.

Of these, 3,300 were arrested for breaking the 8 pm to 5 am curfew hours while the others were apprehended for violating liquor ban, smoking in public places, and disobedience at checkpoints and control points.

“We continue to appeal to our public to stay indoors and obey the guidelines of the Enhanced Community Quarantine to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Sermonia said.

Source: Rappler

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Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chair and administrator Wilma Eisma ordered the takeover of the six-floor Leciel Hotel to be used as an isolation facility for persons under investigation for Covid-19.

The SBMA official toured the facility on Monday following the formal turnover based on a temporary agreement with the Philippine Veterans Bank, which controls the property.

Eisma said the hotel’s takeover was part of the Subic Freeport Zone’s overall plan in terms of setting a triage for PUMs (patients under monitoring), PUIs, and Covid-positive patients.

“Our plan involves the use of existing and temporarily-converted facilities in the SBFZ that are all placed under the supervision of the Department of Health- Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (DOH-RESU) for Covid-19 emergency response,” she said.

Eisma said the Baypointe Hospital and Medical Center is designated for triage and confinement of PUIs with severe symptoms, as well as those with co-morbidities or existing medical conditions, and Covid-19 positive patients/

The Subic Gym is also being converted into a care and isolation facility for PUIs with mild to moderate symptoms, she said.

Under existing government protocol, the DOH can assign and apportion PUIs among different hospitals in order to manage overall capacity.

Eisma said the hotel has 81 rooms, most of which can be converted into care and isolation rooms.

Source: Politiko Central Luzon

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MANILA, Philippines — While the rest of the world is busy battling the coronavirus pandemic, China, where the virus originated, has taken advantage of the countries’ preoccupation by building new facilities on Philippine-claimed territories in West Philippine Sea.

On Friday, government-funded Chinese Academy of Sciences launched two research stations on Fiery Cross (Kagitingan) and Subi Reefs in Spratly Islands to “help scientists expand their research into deep sea ecology, geology, environment, material sciences and marine energy,” state-run Xinhua reported.

“They also play a part in monitoring ecological and seismic changes in key regions of the South China Sea,” it added.

As it is, the state-sponsored think tank running the new installments has a research center based on Mischief Reef, which the July 2016 international arbitral award ruled to be part of the Philippines.

While Subi Reef and Fiery Cross are different territories not subject of the ruling, Manila is also laying claim on the islands located closer to the country, sitting around 100 km and 24 km off Palawan, respectively. 

According to the news report, the new stations would serve as research units meant to support Beijing’s all-encompassing development programs in South China Sea, an area where freedom of navigation has been under attack due to China’s militarization.
 
Specifically, new Chinese facilities in Fiery Cross are envisioned to monitor coral reef biomes or the island’s flora and fresh water conservation, while those in Subi Reef will house seismic stability and fresh water monitoring systems.

Fiery Cross and Subi Reefs are two of Beijing’s “big three” militarized islands in the Spratlys, particularly transforming the former into a fortified airbase in 2017.

In July 2016, a United Nations-backed tribunal characterized Fiery Cross Reef as a rock that can’t sustain habitation or economic life. It is allowed a 12-nautical mile territorial sea.

As to Subi Reef, the arbitral tribunal also concluded that the island is a low-tide elevation, which means that it disappears during high tide and has no maritime entitlement.

Source : Philippine Star

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