Prostate cancer drug is found to be an effective antiviral against coronavirus and the common cold

An experimental cancer drug derived from a poisonous plant could stop Covid-19 in its tracks, researchers believe.  Nottingham University academics claim thapsigargin should be effective against the coronavirus behind the pandemic and others that cause common colds. The drug, derived from the ‘deadly carrot’ thapsia plant — which is deadly to cattle and sheep and … Read more

Experimental antiviral drug stopped coronavirus transmission in ferrets within 24 HOURS

An experimental oral antiviral drug completely suppressed coronavirus transmission within 24 hours, a new study suggests. The medications, called molnupiravir, prevents the virus from multiplying itself, therefore preventing it from spreading throughout the body. Researchers found the drug blocked ferrets infected with COVID-19 from spreading the disease to one another, but those not given the … Read more

Two antiviral drugs used to treat flu and HIV to be trialled on positive Covid-19 patients

Two antiviral drugs are set to begin early human trials in London-based coronavirus patients. A UCL-led study, dubbed the FLARE trial, will investigate the efficacy of favipiravir, which is used to treat the flu, and the cocktail of lopinavir/ritonavir which is given to HIV patients.  Scientists are recruiting 240 participants between the ages of 18 … Read more

Pfizer Inc signs multi-year deal to manufacture Gilead’s coronavirus antiviral remdesivir

Pfizer Inc signs multi-year deal to manufacture Gilead’s coronavirus antiviral remdesivir to boost production of the drug Pfizer Inc has signed a multi-year deal with Gilead Sciences Inc to manufacture and supply the antiviral remdesivir  The drug is the only one approved in the US to treat coronavirus patients by emergency use after it was … Read more

Anti-viral coating that kills coronavirus in SECONDS ‘could be on the market in weeks’

Self-cleaning and anti-viral doorknobs that are able to kill the coronavirus in seconds could be a reality in the coming weeks.  Dr Felicity de Cogan of the University of Birmingham revealed today that engineers are creating surfaces capable of rapidly neutralising the SARS-CoV-2 virus.  Speaking at an online press conference, Dr de Cogan said the … Read more

Flu researchers say we should make a NEW antiviral to stop coronavirus

Flu researchers say we should make a NEW antiviral to prevent coronavirus from replicating throughout the body and stop focusing on repurposing old drugs Researchers looked an older treatment for the flu, Tamiflu, and a newer treatment, Xofluza, the first new type of flu drug in 20 years Xofluza limited the amount of time a … Read more

Flu researchers say we should make a NEW antiviral to stop coronavirus

Flu researchers say we should make a NEW antiviral to prevent coronavirus from replicating throughout the body and stop focusing on repurposing old drugs Researchers looked an older treatment for the flu, Tamiflu, and a newer treatment, Xofluza, the first new type of flu drug in 20 years Xofluza limited the amount of time a … Read more

How much will remdesivir cost? Experts say even $10 may be too much for Gilead’s antiviral

Experts say even $10 is too much for the US-made antiviral drug approved to treat the novel coronavirus. Gilead Sciences’ medication, remdesivir, was shown to help reduce patients’ hospital stays over a placebo, in a clinical trial run by the National Institutes of Health. Last week, it became the first drug approved by the US … Read more

Coronavirus: £7 antiviral spray protects surfaces for 90 days

A new disinfectant spray can protect surfaces from coronavirus for up to 90 days by making it ‘inactive’ will be on sale in Hong Kong from just £7 next month. Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology say the ‘smart spray’ works on a range of surface types including metal, plastic and fabric. … Read more

Remdesivir anti-viral trial reports ‘rapid recoveries’ for severe hospitalised coronavirus patients

Remdesivir anti-viral trial reports ‘rapid recoveries’ for severe hospitalised coronavirus patients with ‘nearly all’ discharged within a week.    University of Chicago Medicine recruited 125 people with COVID-19 as part of Gilead Science’s clinical trials. Of those people, 113 had severe disease.  All the patients were been treated with daily infusions of remdesivir. Most of them … Read more