Ameph Emuue Ng

Researchers are evaluating antiviral treatments in adults aged 18 to 60 with early symptomatic COVID-19 who have high viral loads but are otherwise healthy. This phase 2, multi-center, adaptive platform trial aims to measure the antiviral effects of several interventions compared to no treatment, focusing on how quickly the virus clears from the body within the first five days. The study includes small molecule drugs, monoclonal antibodies, and dose-finding for parts of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir to understand their effectiveness in vivo. The trial investigates multiple antiviral treatments including small molecule drugs such as nitazoxanide, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, hydroxychloroquine, atilotrelvir/ritonavir, and metformin; monoclonal antibodies like sotrovimab, tixagevimab/cilgavimab, and casirivimab/imdevimab; and combination therapies. Participants are randomly assigned to receive one of these treatments or no antiviral treatment (with at least 20% assigned to no treatment). Dosages and schedules vary by treatment, for example, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is given twice daily for five days, while monoclonal antibodies are given once on day 0. Participants will be involved in assessments including viral clearance measurements over days 0 to 5. Researchers will monitor for viral load reduction as the primary outcome, comparing treated groups to controls. Participants must be able to walk unaided, have oxygen saturation of at least 96%, and agree to follow-up visits. Safety and treatment adherence are monitored throughout, with the study supported by the Wellcome Trust and conducted under controlled conditions to ensure accurate evaluation of antiviral effects.

Researchers are examining how exercise affects physical fitness and blood components in adults who are overweight or obese. The study aims to provide new insights that could help medical professionals, researchers, and companies develop alternative treatments or health promotion programs to delay or prevent obesity-related diseases. Participants include Thai men and women between 25 and 45 years old with a body mass index (BMI) from 25 to 35 kg/m² and low physical activity levels. The intervention involves a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise program conducted on a treadmill, where participants exercise at 65% to 80% of their maximum heart rate. The study measures various outcomes before and after the 18-day training program, including blood components, foot pressure distribution, fat thickness in the face and abdomen, maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), body composition, heart rate, grip and leg strength, body weight, and height. Participants will be assessed on Day 1 before starting the HIIT program and again on Day 18 after completing it, with foot pressure distribution also measured multiple times during the study period. Researchers will monitor physical fitness changes and blood markers closely, collecting data through physical tests and measurements. The total study duration involves these pre- and post-training assessments to evaluate the impact of the exercise program on overweight and obese individuals.