The common cold, the`flu and more serious haemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola are amongst the viruses that currently can`t be cured.
DRACO a new drug designed by US scientists is able to identify cells that have been infected by any type of virus , then zeroes to kill the infection , writes MIT News. It should work against all viruses and has already proven effective against 15 viruses , including polio, stomach viruses and dengue fever.
MIT`s Double-stranded RNA Activated Capase Oligomerizers (DRACO) is an anti-viral therapy, which causes cells to commit suicide, thus preventing the spread of infection.
Time magazine explains that the drug works by using both a cell`s natural defence mechanism, and the virus`s attack mechanism. In this way it is able to find and disable the virus.
It is thought that this new technology may even be used to work against new infections, like respiratory syndrome SARS, which caused a near-pandemic in 2002/2003. Popular science says the new treatment could be as effective as antibiotics fighting bacteria – a development that could revolutionize infectious disease medicine.
All of the testing has so far been carried out in mice, but the scientists behind DRACO are hoping to be licensed for trials in larger animals, and eventually in humans.
Its interesting that this anti viral therapy is currently going through trials. However I wonder how long until this type of treatment could actually become available ?!
ReplyDeleteIt could take anything up to 5 or 6 years ! There are three stages of trails , as far as I know ! It has to take place over a number or years to see prolonged effects !
ReplyDeleteIf viral therapy became effective it could introduce effective treatment for so many viruses.
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