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Podcast Review: COVID In Your Genes – The risk factors
Appeared in BioNews 1095
Genomic sequencing has numerous applications, including determining genealogy, the presence or absence of common mutations in a couple who are considering becoming pregnant, and even the susceptibility of contracting SARS-CoV-2, the virus which leads to COVID-19, and the severity of the subsequent disease.
The latter was the focus of a lively discussion in the Naked Scientists podcast series titled COVID In Your Genes – The risk factors . The discussion took place between Phil Sansom, the presenter, and Dr Nathaniel Pearson of the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative and New York Genome Centre.
Based on their analyses, the researchers are calling for prioritizing clinical trials of drugs targeting the proteins IFNAR2 and ACE2. The goal is to identify existing drugs, either FDA-approved or in clinical development for other conditions, that can be repurposed for the early management of COVID-19. Doing so, they say, will help keep people with the virus from being hospitalized.
IFNAR2 is the target for approved drugs often used by patients with relapsing forms of the central nervous system disorder multiple sclerosis. The researchers believe the most promising ACE2 therapy against COVID-19 is a drug that was developed before the pandemic began and has been evaluated in clinical trials to reduce inflammatory response in patients with severe respiratory disorders.
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IMAGE: Dr. Juan P. Casas, a physician epidemiologist, led the study, which called for prioritizing clinical trials of drugs targeting two proteins. view more
Credit: Frank Curran
A new study using human genetics suggests researchers should prioritize clinical trials of drugs that target two proteins to manage COVID-19 in its early stages.
The findings appeared online in the journal
Nature Medicine in March 2021.
Based on their analyses, the researchers are calling for prioritizing clinical trials of drugs targeting the proteins IFNAR2 and ACE2. The goal is to identify existing drugs, either FDA-approved or in clinical development for other conditions, that can be repurposed for the early management of COVID-19. Doing so, they say, will help keep people with the virus from being hospitalized.