Monkeys infected with Ebola can be cured using the pill. New research could revolutionise the fight against deadly viruses. Thomas Jaysbert, virologist at the University of Texas Galveston University Medical Chapter, leads the research. Advances in science His team said they tested antiviral oberdesivir, an oral form of intravenous remesivir, originally developed as a potential treatment for Covid-19.
Researchers infected rhesus monkeys and canomolgas macaques with high doses of the Ebola virus macona variant. Ten monkeys then received obeldesiviripills daily, and three control money died without treatment.
Meanwhile, the pill protected 80% of the macaques in chinomolgas and 100% of the macaques in rhesus monkeys that are biologically close to humans. Geisbert said the number of monkeys used in the trial was relatively small, but the results were statistically strong. Monkeys were given an Ebola virus dose that was approximately 30,000 times the lethal dose of humans.
He added that “wide range” protection of Obeldesivir is a “major advantage” compared to other antibody treatments that only work against Zaire strains.
“These findings suggest that ODV treatment provides opportunities for potential adaptive immunity development to alleviate fatal outcomes while reducing excessive inflammation,” the study emphasized.
Most Ebola outbreaks affect sub-Saharan Africa. In sub-Saharan Africa, health infrastructure cannot handle antibody treatments that require costly cold storage. Furthermore, providing treatment in some of the poorest areas becomes an all-powerful challenge, preventing pharma companies from developing antidotes.
Geisbert said his colleagues are more practical, easier to use, “you can use it to use it” and “really trying to come up with something.”
Based on the encouragement results, US-based Pharma Giant Gilead is already undergoing Obeldesivir in a phase 2 clinical trial of Marburg Virus, a close relative of Ebola.
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What is Ebola?
Ebola is the hemorrhagic fever of the virus that was first discovered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The virus's natural reservoir is suspected to be a species of fruit bat that is not diseased in itself, but can pass the disease to primates, including humans.
Six virus species are known to cause human diseases in Zaire, Sudan, Bundibugyo, Reston, Thai forests and Bonbari. The first three have resulted in severe outbreaks in Africa, but Zaire has caused a majority of cases in the past decade.
