Virologists from veterinarians
The new drug reduces the viral load of three strains of SARS-CoV-2 by 99%
Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+
Currently, the drug masitinib, which, as it turned out, 99% suppresses the replication of alpha, beta and gamma strains of SARS-CoV-2, is used in veterinary medicine for the treatment of cancer in dogs. The drug has already proven safe for humans, but has not yet been approved for clinical use. Scientists are collaborating with the drug developer AB Science to speed up the process of its approval against COVID-19.
Article by Drayman et al. Masitinib is a broad coronavirus 3CL inhibitor that blocks replication of SARS-CoV-2 published in the journal Science – VM.
A team from the University of Chicago has discovered the promising properties of masitinib against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. At the moment, it has been studied in clinical trials in people with Alzheimer's disease, asthma and multiple sclerosis and has demonstrated safety for humans, albeit with some side effects.
Preclinical experiments on human cell cultures have shown that masitinib suppresses the replication of alpha, beta and gamma strains of SARS-CoV-2 by 99%, and is also effective against hepatitis A, polio and cold-causing rhinoviruses.
"The effectiveness against variants of SARS-CoV-2 is explained by the fact that it is aimed at suppressing the replication of the virus. In addition, it binds to the protease, and not to the surface of the virus," the scientists explained.
The team has already started working with the French pharmaceutical company AB Science to further enhance the antiviral properties of masitinib. Then they intend to study the drug in clinical trials and, if successful, begin using it for COVID-19 therapy.
"Masitinib can become an effective antiviral agent. Given that this is not the first and not the last outbreak of coronavirus, new treatment options in addition to vaccines are in great demand," concluded the first author of the article, Nir Dreiman.
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