A biosciences company near Kolhapur in Maharashtra is testing a new drug that could potentially become India’s first indigenously developed cure for Covid-19, according to an exclusive report by The Indian Express.
In early tests, the drug is promising to turn infected patients RT-PCR negative in 72-90 hours. The drug is currently undergoing phase 1 human trials that are likely to be completed by the end of this month.
Meanwhile, a modified drug prescribed to treat tapeworms may be effective against COVID-19, according to a study conducted in lab. The team at the Scripps Research Institute in the US said it was known for 10 to 15 years that the class of drugs called salicylanilides work against certain viruses, but they tend to be gut-restricted and can have toxicity issues.
According to the study published in the journal ACS Infectious Disease, the modified salicylanilide compound overcomes both issues, in mouse and cell-based tests. The compounds act as both an antiviral and an anti-inflammatory drugs, with properties that auger well for its use in pill form, the researchers said.
Salicylanilides were first discovered in Germany in the 1950s and used to address worm infections in cattle, they said. Versions including the drug niclosamide are used in animals and humans today to treat tapeworm.
The modified salicylanilide compound was developed by Professor Kim Janda, a professor at Scripps Research, years ago for another project. When the SARS-CoV-2 virus became a global pandemic in early 2020, knowing that they may have antiviral properties, he started screening his old collection first in cells.
Later, he worked with Scripps Research immunologist John Teijaro, to conduct tests in rodents. One compound dubbed “No. 11," stood out. This compound differs from the commercial tapeworm medicines in key ways, including its ability to pass beyond the gut and be absorbed into the bloodstream — and without the worrisome toxicity.
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