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| A colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (red) infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), also known as novel coronavirus, isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH via Reuters |
By Jung Min-ho
Researchers in Australia have found that an anti-parasitic drug can kill COVID-19 in a lab.
In a study published Friday, scientists at Monash University in Melbourne say one dose of Ivermectin, which is available around the world, was found to halt SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) from growing in cell culture within 48 hours.
"We found that even a single dose could essentially remove all viral RNA by 48 hours and that even at 24 hours there was a really significant reduction in it," said study leader Kylie Wagstaff.
She noted that the mechanism by which Ivermectin worked on the virus was unknown yet, but based on how it interacted with other viruses, the drug probably stopped the virus "dampening down" the host cells' ability to clear it.
The next step is for scientists to determine whether it could safely work for humans.
"Ivermectin is very widely used and seen as a safe drug," Wagstaff said, "We need to figure out now whether the dosage you can use it at in humans will be effective ― that's the next step.
"In times when we're having a global pandemic and there isn't an approved treatment, if we had a compound that was already available around the world then that might help people sooner. Realistically it's going to be a while before a vaccine is broadly available."
Ivermectin is an FDA-approved anti-parasitic drug also shown to be effective in vitro against viruses including HIV, dengue and influenza.
The use of Ivermectin to fight COVID-19 would depend on the results of further pre-clinical testing and ultimately clinical trials, with funding urgently needed to continue the research, Wagstaff said.
