The new antiviral drug MK – 4482 / EIDD – 2801 or Monulparivir managed to “completely” stop the transmission of coronavirus in just 24 hours, according to studies from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences of Georgia State University.
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The anti-Covid-19 vaccine could end the pandemic, but as long as mass vaccination is not possible, it is important to stop the spread of the community.
“It is the first demonstration of an oral drug that quickly blocks the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, so it could be revolutionary,” the researchers wrote in an article in the journal Nature Microbiology.
The antiviral drug was developed at Emory Unuversity in Atlanta by the Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE), licensed by Ridgeback Biotherapeutics in partnership with Merck & Co. Monulparivir was originally designed to treat the flu and prevent the virus from multiplying, creating errors in the RNA multiplication phase.
The experts detail that the tests were performed on ferrets and it was observed that they showed a reduction in the volume of viral particles. Then the ferrets were joined by some who had not been treated. None of the ferrets in the second group were infected with Covid-19.
“We believe that ferrets are a representative model of transmission because they easily spread SARS-CoV-2, but most do not have a serious disease, which is very similar to transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to young adults.” says Dr. Robert Cox, a postdoctoral researcher in the Plemper Group and lead co-author of the study.
“We have previously noticed that the drug has broad-spectrum activity against respiratory RNA viruses and that oral treatment of infected animals reduces the volume of transmitted particles by several orders of magnitude, drastically reducing transmission. These properties make MK-4482 / EIDD / 2801 a strong candidate for pharmacological control of Covid-19, ”the report continues.
If the data observed in ferrets are confirmed in humans, patients with Covid-19 treated with the drug may become non-infectious 24 hours after the start of treatment.
Treatment can be given orally and can be started quickly for a benefit with three potentials: inhibiting the progress of patients towards a serious illness; shortening the infectious phase that eases the emotional and socioeconomic cost of prolonged isolation; stopping the rapid local spread.
Monulparivir is currently in the advanced phase of clinical trials II / III.
He began testing with three different doses at 12 hours for five days in patients with SARS-CoV-2.
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