The vaccination against the Covid-19 has not yet been implemented in France, but another drug is a source of hope in the fight against this disease. In a scientific study, Molnupiravir, an antiviral originally developed to treat influenza, succeeded in stopping the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in 24 hours in ferrets, reports the specialized site Doctissimo . The results of this work were published on December 3 in the journal Nature Microbiology .
Molnupiravir, also known as MK-4482 / EIDD-2801, has already been shown to be effective in several animals with its antiviral effects. This time, scientists wanted to test its effects on ferrets. Why ? Because these animals have the same coronavirus receptors as humans.
“Ferrets are a relevant transmission model”
“We believe ferrets are a relevant transmission model because they easily spread SARS-CoV-2, but generally do not develop a severe form of the disease, which closely resembles the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in young adults “, specifies Dr. Robert Cox, co-director of this study, in a statement on the Georgia State University website.
The researchers infected the ferrets with SARS-CoV-2 before initiating treatment when the animals began shedding the virus through their noses. “When we placed infected animals receiving treatment with contact ferrets not receiving treatment, none of the latter were infected”, adds Josef Wolf, doctoral student and co-author of this study.
“Therapeutic treatment of animals infected with MK-4482 / EIDD-2801 twice daily significantly reduced the burden of SARS-CoV-2 in the upper respiratory tract. This completely suppressed the spread to untreated contact ferrets ”, write the scientists.
A triple benefit?
If these effects on the ferret are reflected in humans, Covid-19 patients treated with the drug could become non-infectious within 24 hours of starting treatment.
“This is the first evidence that an oral drug can quickly block the transmission of SARS-CoV-2”, explains Dr. Richard Plemper, professor at Georgia State University and co-director of this study.
As the drug can be administered orally, the benefits of such treatment are potentially threefold: to stop the progression to a severe form of the disease, to shorten the infectious phase and therefore the prolonged isolation of the patient and to quickly end a local outbreak of the epidemic.
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