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IMAGE: Sumit Chanda, co-senior study author and director of the Immunity and Pathogenesis Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. view more
Credit: Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
LA JOLLA, CALIF. - March 16, 2021 - A
Nature study authored by scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and the University of Hong Kong shows that the leprosy drug clofazimine, which is FDA approved and on the World Health Organization s List of Essential Medicines, exhibits potent antiviral activities against SARS-CoV-2 and prevents the exaggerated inflammatory response associated with severe COVID-19. Based on these findings, a Phase 2 study evaluating clofazimine as an at-home treatment for COVID-19 could begin immediately.
Leprosy drug holds promise as at-home treatment for COVID-19 scienceblog.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from scienceblog.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Until a year ago, the term “social distancing” wasn’t in the national lexicon and wearing masks was not the norm. But the COVID-19 pandemic changed our behaviors swiftly and often, from staying home to “flattening the curve” to donating meals to hospital workers to searching for vaccination appointments.
We learned to access work, school and entertainment via Zoom and other virtual platforms. Restaurants adapted to takeout models and, along with other businesses, have ping-ponged among various modes of operation as coronavirus cases have swelled and ebbed.
As we mark the anniversary of the first life-altering pandemic restrictions, the
La Jolla Light looks back at the past whirlwind year of COVID-19.
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Scientists at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla say they have identified the sensor in human lungs that detects SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and signals the body to mount an antiviral response. The discovery may lead to improved treatment for those diagnosed with the disease.
The sensor in the lungs, called MDA-5, was found to be “the immune cop that’s tasked to keep an eye out for SARS-CoV-2 and call for backup,” said Sumit Chanda, director of the immunity and pathogenesis program at SBP and senior author of the study.
“MDA-5 recognizes replicating viruses in lung cells and activates interferon,” Chanda said. Interferon, a signaling protein released by cells in the immune system, is “the body’s own frontline defender against viral invasion,” he said.
NEW YORK – Researchers, including an Indian American, have identified the sensor in human lungs that detects SARS-CoV-2 and signals that it is time to mount an antiviral response.