The antiviral, called thapsigargin, is being trialled as a treatment for prostate cancer patients. But scientists at the University of Nottingham believe the drug, derived from a Mediterranean weed that is highly toxic to sheep and cattle, may also be used to fight the coronavirus.
In what the team describe as a “ground-breaking study”, small doses of the antiviral were found to trigger a “highly effective” immune response against three types of human respiratory viruses including Sars-CoV-2, which causes Covid.
Study leader Professor Kin-Chow Chang said that the “hugely significant” findings “strongly indicate” that “thapsigargin and its derivatives are promising antiviral treatments against Covid and influenza” - and also “have the potential to defend us against the next Disease X pandemic”.
University of Nottingham scientists uncover potential antiviral treatment for Covid-19 These findings are hugely significant
The University of Nottingham
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Researchers from the University of Nottingham have discovered an antiviral property in a drug highly effective against Covid-19 that could also help combat future pandemics.