https://youtu.be/TlmOT1ebRAg
ATLANTA, Ga. — Scientists have developed a drug that could be an antiviral cure for both sexually transmitted infections and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In animal experiments, researchers discovered that a medication that mimics immune system proteins successfully treats herpes. The small synthetic molecule may also defeat the coronavirus and many other kinds of infections. The “stable peptoid” is harder to break down that the real thing.
The team suggests that doctors could give such a treatment to airline passengers before a flight to protect them from COVID. Scientists expect clinical trials to begin within months. Vaccines alone won’t overcome the pandemic, making anti-viral therapies just as vital.
“In the body, antimicrobial peptides such as LL-37 help keep viruses, bacteria, fungi, cancer cells and even parasites under control,” says principal investigator Dr. Annelise Barron of Stanford University in a media release.
These substances are not usually ideal drug candidates as they are quickly cleared by enzymes in the body. With that in mind, study authors emulated the key biophysical attributes of LL-37.
“Peptoids are easy to make,” Barron says. “And unlike peptides, they’re not rapidly degraded by enzymes, so they could be used at a much lower dose.”
Drugs block herpes in mice, will be tested on COVID next
Herpes causes cold sores and oral or genital STIs (sexually transmitted infections). The peptoids safely prevented herpes infections in mice when dabbed on their lips. Earlier tests on human cells grown in lab dishes showed the compounds also deactivated SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-1 — the viruses that cause COVID and herpes, respectively.
Scientists also designed the drugs to be non-toxic to people. They are simple and inexpensive to make with an automated synthesizer and readily available chemicals.
“You can make them almost as easily as you make bread in a bread machine,” the Stanford researcher adds.
Peptides consist of short sequences of amino acids, with side chains bonded to carbon atoms in the molecules’ backbone. This structure is easily broken apart by enzymes. In peptoids, the side chains are instead linked to nitrogens in the molecular backbone, forming a structure that resists enzymes.
The researchers are planning to test them for activity against SARS-CoV-2 in mice. The team also founded the company Maxwell Biosciences to develop peptoids as clinical candidates to prevent or treat viral infections.
“COVID-19 infection involves the whole body, once somebody gets really sick with it, so we will do this test intravenously, as well as looking at delivery to the lungs,” Dr. Barron explains.
Could peptoids be a wide-ranging cure-all?
Additional experiments are now underway to confirm the mouse findings. In addition, the peptoids could be effective against HSV-1 drug-resistant strains. The antimicrobial molecules could have a host of applications. Work is ongoing at Stanford to explore their impact on ear and lung infections. Dr. Barron’s team has sent peptoid samples to experts in other labs to test against a range of viruses. There have been promising results in lab dish studies against influenza, the cold virus, and hepatitis B and C.
“In their in vitro studies, a team found that two of the peptoids were the most potent antivirals ever identified against MERS and older SARS coronaviruses,” Dr. Barron says.
Other labs are testing the peptoids as anti-fungals for airways, the gut, and as anti-infective coatings for contact lenses, catheters, and implanted hip and knee joints. The researchers are studying how these broad-spectrum compounds work. The study notes that such antivirals seem to pierce and break up the viral envelope and also bind to the virus’ DNA.
That multipronged mechanism has the advantage of inactivating the virus. Standard antivirals slow replication but still allow viruses to infect cells. It also makes it less likely that pathogens could develop resistance.
The team presented their findings at the American Chemical Society virtual meeting ACS Fall 2021.
South West News Service writer Mark Waghorn contributed to this report. This article was first published August 27, 2021.
Another breakthrough that will take decades to get to market, if ever.
K well , you order spray 9 off Amazon now…apply it 7 times 3 times a day for a week…..cheers…don’t drink it …and don’t apply too much …a couple sprays in your hand….
Regards,
Spray it in your hand 3 times a day kills herpes? Lol
This is what I’m afraid of too
Is it possible to sign up for a trial?
Curious (NOT!) why the writer of this article goes through pretzel-like contortions to avoid the word IVERMECTIN as THE peptide so enthusiastically touted as the one with this magical effect on Covid?
Ahh…the mysteries of life in these strange times!
Please teach? I wan to learn … 7/21 is my birthday by the way ….
There’s nothing to teach. Ivermectin is a medication, not a peptide. Even if the medication was somehow involved in this research, there’s no particular reason to mention it.
Probably beause they’re discussing peptides in general and across multiple uses. I have rosacea and am prescribed topical ivermectin. We already know it’s a medication.. so why does it matter if it’s involved in other studies? Your comment is very strange.
would like to be in trial for this contact me tk u
i suffer from hsv2 its chronic any possible way i can try this to help me would be greatly appreciated please contact me thank you
Contact me please if trials are available thanks.
I would like to Ben contacted for this trial, thanks.
Try Vitagerpavak. Made in Moscow.
i hope a cure come soon
Please find a cure to hsv. It’s insane anguish over a skin condition most people don’t even know they have but yet can rip relationships apart since 1 person may never have a symptom and give it to their partner that has chronic issues. Most people never asked for it and between mental anguish and easier to transmit hiv, this should be a major top priority.
I am looking for a cure to HSV2 I cannot take having this disease please someone cure this terrible ailment so that i can live a normal life. Life is not bearable with this virus…
I will like to be also in the trals of this new drug
You will never see this broad spectrum drug that kills HSV1, HSV2, Hepatitis B and C on the market. Drug manufacturers would loose tens of Billion of Dollars each year if they would release such drug as this one. Just imagine $47.95 for one single Valtrex 500mg pill $1,438.50 for 30 pills!
As usual, this drug will simply just disappear, fade out and you’ll never hear about it again. The standard procedure is to heavily invest into little companies that uniquely discovered something, then step by step take over control and shelf the discovery just because it would kill big Pharma’s record breaking profits.
Look it doesn’t matter what you think the point is l a part of things working is belief ,put positive energy into the blind faith that it works!!!???? Because stranger things have happened ? Take the leep of blind faith with positive intent you have a cure!!!
Exactly correct! Big pharma greed!
Thinking positive, I would like to participate in the human clinical trial for this product.
I would like some info! Regarding a trail for this?