Connect with us

Health

Why is it so difficult to develop an antiviral drug to fight COVID-19?

Why is it so difficult to develop an antiviral drug to fight COVID-19?

 


San Diego — Scientists have made great strides in the fight against COVID-19, but they still have Only one fully approved treatment — And it’s not a breakthrough cure.

Currently, remdesivir is the only treatment approved for emergency use with COVID-19.

With the exception of some blends of urgently licensed monoclonal antibodies, remdesivir is the only FDA-approved antiviral drug capable of head-on attack on SARS-CoV-2. Other treatments seek to resolve the cascade of domino effects associated with serious illnesses such as uncontrolled inflammation, rather than the virus itself.

Studies show that remdesivir reduces the time of illness in hospitalized patients, but does not improve survival. As a result, scientists continue to compete for better, more powerful antivirals that can save lives.

Dr. Davey Smith, a virologist at the University of California, San Diego, is leading the indictment.

Smith oversees an important section of clinical trials created under Operation Warp Speed ​​called ACTIV-2.

“Our job is to find a cure for people with early COVID and prevent them from entering the hospital. That’s our whole job,” Smith said.

The team is currently enrolling volunteers to study five promising potential drugs. A sixth drug will be added later this month, according to Smith.

This division of the ACTIV trial focuses on the treatment of recently diagnosed patients. Find information From people who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 6 days.

According to Smith, developing drugs for new pathogens has always been a daunting task, but doing so in a pandemic adds another layer of complex infection control procedures.

In many respects, developing antivirals is a more difficult task than developing antibiotics to fight bacteria.

For one thing, bacteria are large living cells that are easy to target. According to Smith, the environment is full of natural antibiotics, and many bacteria are fighting other bacteria.

Bacterial classes share properties that can be attacked by a single drug. So, for example, doctors prescribe azithromycin for a variety of infections.

Viruses, on the other hand, take over human cells. Treatment should be narrowly adjusted to attack the virus, not healthy cells. Coronaviruses in particular have their own challenges.

In general, viruses can mutate more efficiently.

“You would expect the virus to try to find a way to evade any drug you use. And what we have to do as scientists in these clinical trials is It’s about understanding which drugs reduce it or use multiple drugs, “Smith said.

Smith’s team is currently testing a new variety of manufactured antibodies, along with inhalers and pills designed to interfere with the ability of the virus to replicate.

Scientists often do that by finding a way to add junk code to viral RNA. This is similar to installing malware on your computer to crash your system. However, unlike some other viruses, SARS-CoV-2 has a tricky defense system.

It essentially has a virus spell check.

“This coronavirus has a calibration mechanism to say back. You tried to trick me into putting in that fake. [RNA] There is a base there. I’m going to take it out and put in a regular one, “Smith said.

Still, researchers are studying some promising treatments, and Dr. Smith hopes new treatments will hit the market this year.

But scientists can’t do that alone.They need people Sign up for clinical trials..

This story was originally published by Derek Stahl KGTV In San Diego.

..

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos



Pictures Credit

ExBUlletin

to request, modification Contact us at Here or [email protected]