New Scientist – August 17, 2019

17 August 2019 | New Scientist | 5

A CLINICAL trial in the Democratic

Republic of the Congo has found

that two drugs appear to be highly

effective in treating people with

the Ebola virus, prompting

scientists to expand their use and

stop testing two other medicines.

The results come from a test

involving almost 700 people in

Ebola treatment centres that

began last November. It found

that, in recently infected people,

only 6 per cent of those treated

with a drug called REGN-EB3 died.

The mortality rate of those given a

drug called mAb114 was 11 per cent.

Without treatment or vaccination,

around two to three out of every

four Ebola cases result in death.

Both drugs are monoclonal

antibodies, a class of immune

system drugs that bind to and

interfere with viruses and bacteria.

The trial was also testing two

other drugs, which were found to

have higher mortality rates. All

new patients entering the trial

will now be given REGN-EB3 or

mAb114. Those currently taking

the other drugs will be able to

choose to switch to these too.

Public health officials hope that

these therapies will help control

the current Ebola crisis, which

has so far led to the infection

of around 2800 people and the

deaths of 1900. The World

Health Organization declared

the outbreak a public health

emergency of international

concern last month.

The new drugs may also help

tackle the distrust many people

feel towards the healthcare

workers attempting to contain

the virus. Ebola treatment centres

have gained a reputation as places

where sick people are brought in

but very few leave alive.

As word of effective new drugs

spreads, infected people may feel

encouraged to seek treatment

earlier, which could further

improve survival rates and lower

rates of transmission. ❚

As many as 90 per cent of people with the virus could be saved

thanks to two experimental drugs, reports Ruby Prosser Scully

Radiation

Radioactive blast at

Russian missile site

An explosion at a missile

testing range in Russia last

week killed five scientists

working for the state nuclear

energy agency Rosatom.

Radiation levels spiked

locally, but there is no sign

of this in other countries.

The scientists were

thrown from a sea platform

when fuel caught fire at

the military facility near

Severodvinsk.

Rosatom said the work

was “related to a radio

isotope power source”.

Observers have speculated it

could have been a nuclear-

powered cruise missile that

Russian president Vladimir

Putin spoke of last year. ❚

Adam Vaughan

Artificial intelligence

NHS to establish

£250 million AI lab

The National Health Service

in England is setting up a lab

to build artificial intelligence

systems that could help treat

conditions including cancer,

dementia and heart disease,

the Department of Health

has announced.

The aim is to tackle some

of the NHS’s big challenges,

such as improving cancer

screening. It will receive

£250 million for the project.

Unveiling the fund,

health secretary Matt

Hancock spoke of a

“health tech revolution”.

While medical AIs show

promise, few have been

through trials to show they

improve patient outcomes. ❚

Staff and agency

Ebola treatment hope

News

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The latest on Ebola online

For more on Ebola drugs and vaccines visit

newscientist.com/ebola