Physicians from both North and South America have reported that antiviral medications originally developed for HIV and Ebola are showing promising results against 2019-nCoV. Patients treated with these drugs have experienced improved symptoms and better respiratory function within as little as 24 hours, which is a major breakthrough in the fight against this virus.
In Thailand, a medical team treating the country’s 19 confirmed cases has shared early success using lopinavir and ritonavir, two protease inhibitors commonly used to treat HIV. They noted significant improvements in patients’ conditions within just 48 hours of starting treatment with this drug combination.
Meanwhile, in the United States, a hospital in Everett, Washington, reported that the state’s first and only case of 2019-nCoV showed rapid improvement after being treated with remdesivir, an antiviral drug initially developed for Ebola. The patient’s condition improved within 24 hours of receiving the medication.
This isn’t the first time scientists have looked to repurpose existing drugs for new viral threats. Since the SARS outbreak in 2003, researchers have been exploring ways to use known antiviral medications for other coronaviruses. With the emergence of 2019-nCoV, the same strategy has been applied, focusing on identifying proteins in the virus that match targets of already approved drugs.
So far, protease inhibitors and reverse transcriptase inhibitors have emerged as the most promising candidates. Lopinavir and ritonavir, developed by AbbVie for HIV, and remdesivir, developed by Gilead for Ebola, are now at the forefront of treatment trials. These drugs are being tested in China, where samples are being sent for early-stage clinical evaluation.
While these treatments have shown positive effects on symptoms, it remains unclear whether they can significantly reduce mortality rates, speed up recovery times, or prevent infection in those exposed but not yet symptomatic. More research is needed, and several clinical trials are already underway in China, with seven of them focusing on lopinavir and ritonavir.
If proven effective, these drugs could be quickly deployed due to their availability and ease of administration. Lopinavir and ritonavir are already widely used in low-income countries for HIV treatment, making them accessible and affordable. However, remdesivir, being an experimental drug, may face production challenges in the short term.
Despite the optimism, experts caution that much is still unknown. The road to a definitive treatment is long, but the current progress is encouraging. As more data comes in, we may soon see clearer answers about the effectiveness of these drugs.
PS: 2019-nCoV is still not a bioweapon
Amid these developments, some have drawn comparisons to the 1995 film *Outbreak*, suggesting that the use of HIV drugs against 2019-nCoV might imply a man-made origin. This line of thinking is unfounded. The similarities between the virus and HIV are coincidental and not related to any targeted design.
The genetic sequences that appear similar—such as those in the spike protein of 2019-nCoV and the gp120 and Gag proteins of HIV—are not the targets of the drugs being tested. Protease inhibitors work by targeting the protease enzyme, which is present in many viruses, including HIV and 2019-nCoV. However, there is no evidence of unique sequence similarities between the proteases of these two viruses.
Protease inhibitors are effective across different viruses because of the shared structure of their active sites. This makes them a versatile class of antiviral drugs. That’s why they’re being tested here—not because of any intentional genetic engineering.
So, while the news is promising, 2019-nCoV is not a bioweapon. There’s no need to panic or jump to conspiracy theories. For now, the focus should remain on science, collaboration, and hope. And maybe, just maybe, a toast when the right answers come along. Cheers to that.
Suzhou Herstar Medical Technology Co., Ltd. , https://www.hosunherstar.com