Since its inception, the COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the whole world, baffling experts and the general population alike. In their pursuit for a drug and vaccine for the novel coronavirus, which triggered the pandemic, scientists are leaving no stones unturned, experimenting with drugs used to save cats too. Like humans, our feline friends can also catch an equally fatal disease caused by a train of the coronavirus. It is known as feline infectious peritonitis, a condition in which the virus invades the cells of a cat’s intestinal walls. Initial evidence from a study, published in the journal Nature Communications suggest that two experimental drugs that can cure our feline friends from this ailment can work against with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus strain behind the pandemic. Also Read – Delhi Metro services to resume soon: How to stay safe while commuting

PTI has quoted Joanne Lemieux, the study author and a professor of biochemistry at the University of Alberta, saying, “This drug is very likely to work in humans, so we’re encouraged that it will be an effective antiviral treatment for COVID-19 patients.” Also Read – Giloy: The Ayurvedic herb popularised by COVID-19 has side effects too

As these drugs have been found to be effective for animals, they can be a strong candidate for treating COVID-19 in humans too. The research team is about to start phase I (human) clinical trials for them soon. Also Read – Good ventilation led to lower COVID-19 deaths in developing Asian countries: Indian doctors

Lemieux has also been quoted saying, “Typically for a drug to go into clinical trials, it has to be confirmed in the lab and then tested in animal models. Because this drug has already been used to treat cats with coronavirus, and it’s effective with little to no toxicity, it’s already passed those stages and this allows us to move forward.

How do these drugs work?

Experiments have been done with two drugs: GC376 and GS-441524. These are prodrugs, which, when ingested, aren’t active pharmacological agents. To become active, they need to be metabolized by the body after being administered. GC376 works by disabling Mpro, a protease found in different strains of coronavirus including SARS-CoV-2. Protease is a group of enzymes. Once this protease or enzyme is disabled, the novel coronavirus is unable to replicate itself.

The other prodrug, called GS-441524, is also an antiviral and a close cousin of remdesivir, a drug approved for the treatment of adult and adolescent COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms. Remdesivir also functions by making it difficult for the novel coronavirus to replicate itself. This is how it works: It mimics the actions of the building blocks of the COVID-19 virus’ genetic materials. So, when the virus attempts to multiply by using those genetic building blocks, it ends up using remdesivir, not its own genetic materials.

Protease inhibitors for COVID-19

GC376 can be classified as a protease inhibitor. Experts suggest that inhibitors of proteases like Mpro, can be effective in treating COVID-19 infection. This is because protease inhibitors can block the functions of this enzyme, which is needed by the novel coronavirus to replicate itself. Researchers are also hopeful that other protease inhibitors like Ebselen can be effective against this deadly virus. This drug is used to treat bipolar disorder and hearing loss.

(With inputs from agencies)

Published : August 31, 2020 2:56 pm