Scientists in Australia have found that an existing antiparasitic drug has shown potency in killing COVID-19 within 48 hours in the laboratory.
The study, a product of a collaboration between Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute based in Monash University and the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, discovered that Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug could stop the growth of SARS-CoV-2 virus in a laboratory setting and called for trial in humans.
“We found that even a single dose could essentially remove viral RNA by 48 hours and that even at 24 hours there was a really significant reduction in it,” Dr. Kylie Wagstaff of the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute who led the study said
“Ivermectin is very widely used and seen as a safe drug. We need to figure out now whether the dosage you can use it in humans will be effective – that’s the next step.”
Before now, Ivermectin had been shown to be effective against HIV, Dengue, Influenza and Zika viruses in laboratory trials.
“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 sooner. Realistically it’s going to be a while before a vaccine is broadly available,” Dr. Wagstaff stated.
On how Ivermectin is able to kill coronavirus, Dr. Wagstaff said the anti-parasitic drug suppresses Sars-CoV-2.
“Although the mechanism by which Ivermectin works on the virus is not known, it is likely, based on its action in other viruses, that it works to stop the virus ‘dampening down’ the host cells’ ability to clear it.”
The global infection rate of COVID-19 has surged past 1 million and several thousands of deaths recorded even as scientists race to develop vaccines that would put an end to a viral infection that has grounded the social and economic lives of several people.
In Nigeria, health officials are looking at carrying out clinical trials with Chloroquine, an anti-malaria drug that had been banned since 2005 to determine its effectiveness to fight COVID-19 in the country which has recorded over 200 confirmed cases.
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