Novel Antiviral Drug Discovered For COVID-19 Treatment by Pooja Shete on February 4, 2021 at 7:10 PM
A novel antiviral property of a drug that could have major implications in how future epidemics / pandemics including Covid-19 are managed has been discovered by researchers. The drug thapsigargin is a promising broad spectrum antiviral, highly effective against Covid-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2), a common cold coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the influenza A virus.
The study conducted at University of Nottingham is published in the journal
Viruses.
Acute respiratory virus infections are caused by different viruses and are clinically indistinguishable on presentation. The clinical management can be significantly improved by an effective broad-spectrum that can target different virus types at the same time. This type of antiviral could potentially be made available for community use to control active infection and its spread.
Researchers from the University of Nottingham have discovered a novel antiviral property of a drug that could have major implications in how future epidemics / pandemics - including Covid-19 - are managed.
He called for funding and political backing for the new drug.
“The whole beauty of TG is that if you can catch Covid early, everything is a lot simpler downstream, Prof Chang said.
“You don t develop a serious illness and you stop the spread of Covid in its tracks.”
Given that acute respiratory infections caused by different viruses are clinically indistinguishable at first, an effective broad-spectrum drug that can fight different virus types at the same time could significantly improve clinical management and control active infection and its spread.
The research team discovered recently that TG can make cells highly resistant to infection by starting responses that disrupt the reproduction cycle of viruses, such as Covid-19, in several places at the same time.
Potential antiviral drug against Covid-19 identified, scientists say it s highly effective
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Last Updated: Feb 03, 2021, 07:19 PM IST
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According to the study, published in the journal Viruses, an antiviral of this type could potentially be made available for community use to control active infection and its spread. (Photo for representation purpose)
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LONDON: Researchers have identified an antiviral drug which is highly effective against the Covid-19 causing coronavirus, and could have major implications in how future disease outbreaks are managed. The team, including researchers at the University of Nottingham in the UK, found that the plant-derived antiviral, at small doses, triggers a highly effective broad-spectrum host-centred antiviral innate immune response against three major types of human respiratory viruses, including Covid-19.