Scientists all over the world are constantly trying to find a solution to stop COVID-19. They are looking at old and existing drugs and also trying to find a new medication that can stop the transmission of the virus from people to people.
Until now, it was mostly about practicing precautionary measures like social distancing, avoiding contact with infected people, and wearing face masks that were prescribed for this purpose. But recently the experts have found a way to prevent the transmission even if you may be in contact with infected people.
The study shows promising results especially for healthcare workers and caretakers of infected patients who are constantly exposed to the virus.
ALSO READ | Gargling With Mouthwash May Reduce The Risk Of Coronavirus Transmission, Says A Study
Researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University have discovered the treatment of COVID-19 infection with a new anti-viral drug, MK-4482/EIDD-2801 or Molnupiravir, completely restrains virus transmission within 24 hours. The group originally discovered that the drug is effective against influenza viruses.
This is the first demonstration of an orally available drug to rapidly block SARS-CoV-2 transmission, according to researchers. They believe that MK-4482/EIDD-2801 could emerge to be a game-changer.
Three-Fold Benefit Of The Drug
Amid the widespread community transmission of COVID-19 until mass vaccination is available is important in managing COVID-19 and mitigating the catastrophic consequences of the pandemic. As the drug can be taken by mouth, the treatment can be started early for a potentially three-fold benefit.
Inhibit patients’ progress to severe disease
Shorten the infectious phase to ease the emotional socioeconomic toll of prolonged patient isolation
Rapidly silence local outbreaks.
Researchers noted early that MK-4482/EIDD-2801 has broad-spectrum activity against respiratory RNA viruses and that helps in treating infected animals by mouth with the drug lowers the amount of shed viral particles by several orders of magnitude, dramatically reducing transmission.
Hence, these properties made MK-4482/EIDD/2801 a powerful candidate for pharmacologic control of COVID-19.
No Transmission Seen In Study
The research team repurposed MK-4482/EIDD-2801 against COVID-19 and used a ferret model to test the effect of the drug on halting virus spread, according to the study published in the Nature Microbiology. Ferrets are a relevant transmission model because they voluntarily spread SARS-CoV-2, but most do not develop severe disease, which closely resembles SARS-CoV-2 spread in young adults.
ALSO READ| Mouthwashes oral rinses may inactivate human coronavirus researchers suggest
The researchers infected ferrets with SARS-CoV-2 and initiated the treatment with MK-4482/EIDD-2801 when the animals started to shed the virus from the nose. When they co-housed those infected and then treated source animals with untreated contact ferrets in the same cage, none of the contacts became infected. By comparison to all contacts of source ferrets that had received placebo became infected.
Phase 2 And 3 Clinical Trials On
If these ferret-based data are translated to humans, COVID-19 patients who are treated with the drug could become non-infectious within 24 hours after the beginning of treatment. MK-4482/EIDD-2801 is in advanced phase II/III clinical trials against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
