ISLAMABAD — Breakthrough development Reported by scientists in fightagainst Novel coronavirus.
An anti-parasitic head lice drug available around the world has been foundto kill COVID-19 in the lab within 48 hours.
A Monash University-led study has shown a single dose of the drugIvermectin could stop the virus growing in cell culture.
‘We found that even a single dose could essentially remove all viral RNA(effectively removed all genetic material of the virus) by 48 hours andthat even at 24 hours there was a really significant reduction in it,’Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute’s Dr Kylie Wagstaff said on Friday.
While it’s not known how Ivermectin works on the virus, the drug likelystops the virus dampening the host cells’ ability to clear it.
The next step is for scientists to determine the correct human dosage, tomake sure the level used in vitro is safe for humans.
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‘In times when we’re having a global pandemic and there isn’t an approvedtreatment, if we had a compound that was already available around the worldthen that might help people sooner,’ Dr Wagstaff said.
Realistically it’s going to be a while before a vaccine is broadlyavailable.
Scientists expect it could be at least a month before human trials.
