Due to E. coli poisoning, 16 people have died so far, more than 1500 are ill. Will there be a drug that will defeat the deadly bacterium?
Common infectionswith E. coliare fought with antibiotics, but this time, against such an enemy, they are not effective. Therefore, the use of other drugs is being considered in several scientific institutions on cito.
The most promising seems to be Eculizumab (Soliris), a drug from the German pharmaceutical company Alexion Pharma. It is a relatively new drug invented to treat a rare but serious blood disease known as PNH (paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglibinuria, or Marchlafava-Michell syndrome).
The disease consists in the lack of factors that prevent the destruction of red blood cells. As a result, acute anemia occurs. The drug has already been used experimentally in the treatment of hemolytic uremic syndrome. The German company ensures that it can give it to patients for free.