A news study by led by researchers at Monash University in Australia found the widely available anti-parasitic drug called Ivermectin killed COVID-19 in a lab “within 48 hours”:
An anti-parasitic drug available throughout the world has been found to kill COVID-19 within 48 hours. A Monash University-led study has shown a single dose of the drug Ivermectin could stop the SARS-CoV-2 virus growing in cell culture. #coronavirus #7NEWShttps://t.co/wUQMiZD3sa
— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) April 3, 2020
From the article:
The next step is for scientists to determine the correct human dosage, to make sure the level used in vitro is safe for humans.
“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 people sooner,” Dr Wagstaff said.
“Realistically it’s going to be a while before a vaccine is broadly available.”
Before Ivermectin can be used to combat coronavirus, funding is needed to get it to pre-clinical testing and clinical trials.
It is important to note that lots of compounds can call a virus in a laboratory setting and then not work in humans:
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1. Ivermectin is a safe, approved, and widely available drug.
2. Ivermectin should be included in prospective human trials for #COVID19 treatment and prevention.
3. This is not the time to make wild claims about Ivermectin's efficacy for #COVID19. It warrants further study
— Isaac Bogoch (@BogochIsaac) April 4, 2020
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And that’s the next step:
?? Dr Wagstaff, however, cautioned that the tests conducted in the study were in vitro and that trials needed to be carried out in people.
https://t.co/6oZ4DQTDY2— Vladimir Aras (@VladimirAras) April 4, 2020
"Ivermectin is very widely used and seen as a safe drug. We need to figure out now whether the dosage you can use it at in humans will be effective – that's the next step," Wagstaff informed.
— Vladimir Aras (@VladimirAras) April 4, 2020
But this is one to watch as it’s already being used in humans around the world:
#Ivermectin is an #FDA-approved broad spectrum anti-parasitic agent that in recent years have shown anti-viral activity against a broad range of #viruses in vitro. It has been demonstrated to limit infection by RNA viruses such as #dengue, West Nile Virus, #influenza
— Dr. Melvin Sanicas (@Vaccinologist) April 4, 2020
#Ivermectin has been shown to be effective against the DNA #virus pseudorabies virus (PRV) both in vitro & in vivo, with ivermectin treatment shown to increase survival in PRV-infected mice. #SARSCoV2, is a single stranded positive sense RNA virus closely related to #SARSCoV.
— Dr. Melvin Sanicas (@Vaccinologist) April 4, 2020
#Ivermectin binds to & destabilises the Impα/β1 heterodimer thus preventing Impα/β1 from binding to the viral protein & preventing it from entering the nucleus. This likely results in reduced inhibition of antiviral responses, leading to a more efficient antiviral response.
— Dr. Melvin Sanicas (@Vaccinologist) April 4, 2020
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