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Researchers at the Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Georgia State University, have discovered that a new antiviral drug, Molnupiravir (MK-4482/EIDD-2801), completely suppresses SARS-CoV-2 transmission within 24 hours. The drug was originally found to be potent against influenza viruses. According to research team leader Dr. Richard Plemper, it is the first orally available drug to demonstrate prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Early on, the researchers observed that Molnupiravir had broad-spectrum activity against respiratory RNA viruses, and treating infected animals orally lowered the quantity of shed viral particles, thus reducing transmission dramatically.
In the study published in Nature Microbiology (December 3, 2020), ferrets infected with SARS-CoV-2 started to shed virus from the nose when they were treated with Molnupiravir. When the infected ferrets receiving treatment were housed with untreated ferrets in the same cage, none of the latter became infected. The researchers conclude that if this data translates to humans, COVID-19 patients could become non-infectious within 24 hours after receiving The antiviral is now in advanced phase II/III clinical trials against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Ref: World Pharma News, December 7,2020,
