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A drug normally used to treat abnormal levels of fat in the blood could reduce coronavirus infection by up to 70%, study finds.
Researchers said a drug known as fenofibrate “dramatically” reduced infection levels in a lab test using human cells.
In the peer-reviewed study published in the medical journal Frontiers in pharmacology, scientists from the UK and Italy tested a variety of drugs already approved for medical use to determine how they might prevent infection.
After identifying fenofibrate as a candidate, they then tested the drug’s effectiveness in reducing infection in cells in the lab using the original variants of the virus.
They found that the drug, which is normally used to treat high cholesterol, reduced the infection by up to 70%.
Researchers said early data showed fenofibrate may be effective against the faster-spreading alpha and beta variants of the coronavirus.
Dr Alan Richardson from Keele University in north-west England said the slow distribution of Covid-19 vaccines to poorer countries demonstrated why other treatments should be made available.
“In addition, while vaccination has been shown to reduce infection rates and disease severity, we are not yet sure how strong and how long the response will be,” he said. declared.
“Therapies are still urgently needed to manage Covid-19 patients who develop symptoms or require hospitalization. “
Dr Farhat Khanim of the University of Birmingham said there was “an urgent need to expand our arsenal of drugs” against the coronavirus.
Dr Elisa Vicenzi from the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan added: “Since fenofibrate is an oral drug which is very cheap and available worldwide, as well as its history of clinical use and good profile. safety, our data have global implications.
Scientists have requested new studies to assess whether fenofibrate was a viable treatment for Covid-19.
Updated: Aug 6, 2021, 04:01 AM
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