New drug could cure nearly any viral infection

[Picard]

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-drug-viral-infection.html

Now, in a development that could transform how viral infections are treated, a team of researchers at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory has designed a drug that can identify cells that have been infected by any type of virus, then kill those cells to terminate the infection.

In a paper published July 27 in the journal PLoS One, the researchers tested their drug against 15 viruses, and found it was effective against all of them — including rhinoviruses that cause the common cold, H1N1 influenza, a stomach virus, a polio virus, dengue fever and several other types of hemorrhagic fever.

The drug works by targeting a type of RNA produced only in cells that have been infected by viruses. “In theory, it should work against all viruses,” says Todd Rider, a senior staff scientist in Lincoln Laboratory’s Chemical, Biological, and Nanoscale Technologies Group who invented the new technology.

Cool.

Or at least it will be if they can make it commercially viable in about 20 years from now.

 

[werries2]

Interesting why they did not test it on something like HIV. Sure if they could find a cure for HIV, funding for this research will be from every direction... The fact that they did not test it on something like HIV may indicate that it is not as wonderful as they would like it to be?

 

[Ockie]

Interesting why they did not test it on something like HIV. Sure if they could find a cure for HIV, funding for this research will be from every direction... The fact that they did not test it on something like HIV may indicate that it is not as wonderful as they would like it to be?

Previous articles I read on DRACO (that is what this drug is called) said that it will/should be effective against HIV also. Cant recall if they used the word "cure" or "effective".

 

[Mars]

Interesting why they did not test it on something like HIV. Sure if they could find a cure for HIV, funding for this research will be from every direction... The fact that they did not test it on something like HIV may indicate that it is not as wonderful as they would like it to be?

because an HIV cure that only kills the common cold is lame, however a cold cure that kills a cold is good, and if it goes on to kill hiv its AWESOME.

 

[werries2]

because an HIV cure that only kills the common cold is lame, however a cold cure that kills a cold is good, and if it goes on to kill hiv its AWESOME.

Well they do state that it kills almost all viruses.

 

[mfumbesi]

....identify cells that have been infected by any type of virus, then kill those cells to terminate the infection.

That part worries me a bit, basically this drug kills infected human cells.
My ignorant question then is, Do infected human cells ever recover?

 

[Devill]

This has been posted in another thread as well.

This would be a major leap in bio-science if it is effective. Even if it happens to not be the wonder "cure" everyone is hoping for.

 

[Vegeta]

The drug works by targeting a type of RNA produced only in cells that have been infected by viruses.

Maybe HIV doesn't use RNA maybe it uses alien/foreign DNA instead of RNA to infect the cell

 

[mercurial]

Awesome.

 

[Ockie]

Draco testing moving forward

As of January 2014, work has moved to Draper Laboratory for further testing and development; "the team looks forward to larger scale animal trials and clinical human trials within a decade or less".[2] Dr. Rider presented at the SENS Foundation's SENS6 conference.[3] He left the Draper Laboratory in May 2015 and started a crowdfunding campaign at Indiegogo to raise funds to test the drugs against the herpesvirus and retrovirus families. [4]

In 2015, an independent research group reported to have successfully observed antiviral activity against the Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) using DRACOs in vitro.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DRACO_(antiviral)

 

[Vegeta]

Ockie you seem to be a pro at this stuff and know all of the latest referring to all your threads about this shot and that shot. Woke up with a fever blister on my lip the other day and got me thinking... is there a shot for that yet?

 

[Ockie]

Ockie you seem to be a pro at this stuff and know all of the latest referring to all your threads about this shot and that shot. Woke up with a fever blister on my lip the other day and got me thinking... is there a shot for that yet?

I had a thread about PrEP and another about Hep B vaccine. And PrEP is not a shot. Why do you think that makes me a expert?

As for the blister, go to Dischem and ask them for "herpes on my face" ointment and take a week off. No one wants to see that.

 

[Vegeta]

I had a thread about PrEP and another about Hep B vaccine. And PrEP is not a shot. Why do you think that makes me a expert?

As for the blister, go to Dischem and ask them for "herpes on my face" ointment and take a week off. No one wants to see that.

Lmao I just thought you were the shot guy! sue me, actually don't sue me I have no money... As for work, those suckers deserve to look at it all day!

 

[Xarog]

Interesting why they did not test it on something like HIV. Sure if they could find a cure for HIV, funding for this research will be from every direction... The fact that they did not test it on something like HIV may indicate that it is not as wonderful as they would like it to be?

The problem with HIV is that it evolves into very complex forms. By targeting the RNA I suppose they need to identify specific genetic patterns, and I don't think they can do that reliably with HIV yet because its high mutation rate makes the problem intricate.

 

[Bryn]

 

[Ockie]

Lmao I just thought you were the shot guy! sue me, actually don't sue me I have no money... As for work, those suckers deserve to look at it all day!

 

[oober]

Two things that come to mind.

What happens when you are infected by a virus that infected all your cells and you take this drug? Do you die or what? Does this even happen where all of your cells can be infected?

In terms of evolution, won't this potentially hamper or completely stop this process? Viruses won't be modifying your DNA any longer. Plausible?


Still very cool though.