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Monday 07 December 2020
Successes in animal experiments
The new corona agent slows down infections
From Kai Stoppel
The drug molnupiravir shows astonishing efficacy against Sars-CoV-2 in animal experiments: infected ferrets are no longer contagious after just 24 hours. Researchers hope for a breakthrough in the fight against Covid-19. Clinical studies are already underway.
The search for a really powerful drug against Covid-19 continues. Because although the first vaccines are already on the doorstep, the coronavirus should continue to circulate in the population well into next year, and possibly even beyond. The Remdesivir drug used to date shows little effect. And dexamethasone has proven helpful, but especially in patients who are already seriously ill. It is possible that university researchers in the US state of Georgia have now found a means that rapidly kills the Sars-CoV-2 virus immediately after an infection.
In animal experiments, the researchers rediscovered Richard Plemper than the new The antiviral drug MK-4482 / EIDD-2801, also known as molnupiravir, completely suppresses transmission of the virus within 24 hours, the university announced.. The study was published in Commercial magazine “Nature MicrobiologyMolnupiravir was originally developed as an anti-flu drug and its mechanism of action is the same as that of the drug Remdesivir, which was already used against Sars-CoV-2: it inhibits the replication of viruses by constructing mutations in their RNA.
Contain local sprouts
Unlike remdesivir, which is given as an infusion, according to the researchers, molnupiravir has a major advantage: “This is the first evidence of an orally available drug that rapidly blocks the transmission of Sars-CoV-2,” he said. Plemper. Molnupiravir can be used early to treat corona-infected people, offering several advantages: For example, a severe course of Covid-19 could be prevented early. The duration of infection can also be shortened, which is emotional and saims to reduce the ozioeconomic stress of patients. Could simultaneously The researchers hope that the new agent will quickly contain local crown buds.
Plemper and his colleagues had tested the active ingredient in mink-related ferrets, as the spread of Sars-CoV-2 between animals was very similar to that seen in young adults. In both cases, the virus spreads rapidly, but severe cases of Covid-19 are rare.
What the ferret experiments showed: The infected animals that had been treated with molnupiravir did not infect any of their healthy cage mates. In contrast, in the placebo-treated animals, all the other animals in the cage became infected. The orally administered agent could “dramatically reduce” transferability, according to Plemper. These properties would make molnupiravir a “strong candidate” to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. “The MK-4482 / EIDD-2801 could be a game changer,” believes Plemper.
There were safety concerns
However, in May this year concerns were raised that the active ingredient could cause mutations in the offspring of animals, as reported in the journal “Science”. According to the testimony of a whistleblower, the laboratory animal pups were born without teeth and without parts of the skull after the use of similar drugs. According to the “Science” report, other researchers had also warned of potential dangers to the offspring’s genome.
However, the developer of the active ingredient had rejected the allegations at the time: no changes in the genetic material were observed in animal studies. And despite the aforementioned safety concerns, several clinical studies with molnupiravir are already underway. The pharmaceutical company Merck, for example, is currently conducting an advanced phase 2/3 clinical study with more than 1000 test subjects. However, results are only expected for next year.
