The SARS-CoV-2 is a single stranded RNA virus that contains a spike protein thatgets attached to the ACE2 receptor protein in the human cells and causes infection. The virus generally affects the upper respiratory tract and causes inflammation, and severe infection can cause death.
‘The interaction between the spike protein of the SARS-Cov-2 virus and ACE2 receptor of the host cells is disrupted by new cholesterol drug.’
The study was conducted in a laboratory where the researchers found that fenofibratedrugand its active form fenofibricacidsignificantly reduced coronavirus infection in human cells by disrupting the interaction between the spike protein in the virus and the ACE2 receptor protein that ispresent in human cells. The efficacy of the drug was about 70 percent.
According to DrFarhatKhanim, of the University of Birmingham “The development of new more infectious SARS-CoV-2 variants has resulted in a rapid expansion in infection rates and deaths in several countries around the world, especially the UK, US and Europe. Whilst vaccine programmes will hopefully reduce infection rates and virus spread in the longer term, there is still an urgent need to expand our arsenal of drugs to treat SARS-CoV-2-positive patients.”
The data indicates that the fenofrinate may reduce the severity of the infection and also the virus spread. It is an oral drug available worldwide,which can assure safety in low-income countries thathave limited vaccines. This drug can be used in children and individuals with hyper-immune disorders.
Dr Scott Davies, also of the University of Birmingham, concludes by saying that : “We now urgently need further clinical studies to establish whether fenofibrate is a potential therapeutic agent to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection.”
Source: Medindia
