Joanne Lemieux, Ph.D. Professor, Director, Membrane Protein Disease Research Group Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada

29 Aug Cat Coronavirus Drug Inhibits COVID-19

Posted at 16:54h in Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus by

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Joanne Lemieux, Ph.D. Professor, Director, Membrane Protein Disease Research Group Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada

Dr. Lemieux

Joanne Lemieux, Ph.D.
Professor, Director, Membrane Protein Disease Research Group
Department of Biochemistry
Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
University of Alberta
Edmonton AB Canada 

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: Labs at the University of Alberta developed and studied inhibitors directed against the main protease of coronavirus virus back in 2003 during the initial SARS outbreak. These inhibitors were subsequently developed by other labs to treat a fatal form of coromavisus infection in cats.

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

Response: Labs also showed that they inhibit the protease associated with various viruses. With the current pandemic, we wanted to test if this feline drug was effective to treat COVID19. We found that this feline drug does inhibit the main protease associated with the coronavirus associated with COVID19 and it was able to prevent virus replication in cell culture.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: These findings show that this drug may be an effective antiviral drug to treat humans infected with coronavirus. 

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work? 

ANIVIVEResponse: We are currently seeking approval for FDA approved clinical trails with a US company ANIVIVE.

No disclosures.

Citation:

Feline coronavirus drug inhibits the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 and blocks virus replication

Wayne Vuong, Muhammed Bashir Khan, Conrad Fischer, Elena Arutyunova, Tess Lamer, Justin Shields, Holly A. Saffran, Ryan T. McKay, Marco J. van Belkum, Michael Joyce, Howard S. Young, D. Lorne Tyrrell, John C. Vederas, M. Joanne Lemieux

bioRxiv 2020.05.03.073080; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.05.03.073080

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Last Updated on August 29, 2020 by Marie Benz MD FAAD

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