New Delhi: A global race is underway to develop a vaccine which can save the mankind from deadly virus. Globally, 2-3 top companies are in second and third trial stage of developing the vaccine while Russia proclaims to have developed one and reportedly even begun production of the vaccine.
Amid this, scientists have come across a pre-existing drug which weakens the virus while emboldens the fights against it.
The drug is already in use to treat multiple diseases, including bipolar disorders and hearing loss, that could prevent the novel coronavirus from replicating in host cells, an advance that may lead to a therapeutic solution against COVID-19.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, assessed the molecule main protease, Mpro, of the novel coronavirus which is a key enzyme that plays a central role in its life cycle.
“By virtue of the large number of compounds considered in high throughput screens, those calculations must necessarily involve a number of simplifications, and the results must then be evaluated using experiments and more refined calculations,” explained study co-author Juan de Pablo from the University of Chicago.
EbselenThey found that the pharmaceutical drug that shows promise as a weapon against Mpro is Ebselen — a chemical compound with anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, bactericidal, and cell-protective properties.
According to the researchers, Ebselen is used to treat multiple diseases, including bipolar disorders and hearing loss. They said several clinical trials have proven its safety for use in humans.
According to the scientists, this finding is particularly important since it helps explain Ebselen”s potential efficacy as a repurposed drug, and reveals a new vulnerability in the virus that was previously not known and that could be useful in developing new therapeutic strategies against COVID-19.
