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Regardless of what celebrities and Instagram influencers say in their stories while on vacation, we are still in the midst of a global pandemic. Yes, the coronavirus is on the loose as the world waits for its many suitors to come out with a fully effective vaccine, and not nearly so. But while most efforts to combat and curb the spread of the virus have been invested in the aforementioned race, scientists at Columbia University, Cornell University, and other medical experts have managed to develop a spray. nasal gland that could deactivate virus before it can infect cells.
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According to Forbes, this could be a “breakthrough we need to end Covid-19” where researchers have created a spray that directly attacks the virus. How? ‘Or’ What? Using a lipopeptide, a combination / concoction of lipids and peptides which prevents SARS-CoV-2 from being absorbed into the cell membrane. Not only that, it attacks and also prevents the key protein from taking a particular shape, reports Extreme Tech.
The SARS-CoV2 virus, like any other virus, must fuse with the cell membrane in order to replicate. In this process, the virus injects its RNA genome and ultimately kills the original host cell. But the lipoprotein in the spray “fits into the spike protein, sticking to one of the chains that would otherwise bind to a receptor and allow the virus to infect the cell.”
As promising as it may sound, the small study – published as a preprint in bioRxiv – has not been tested in humans. In fact, it was administered to a group of ferrets and a 3D model of human lungs. Ferrets susceptible to human respiratory infections were exposed to the virus, after a few of them were given the real lipoprotein spray and the rest were given a placebo. Those who received the drug were observed to contract the virus.
The study states: “Containment of the COVID-19 pandemic requires reducing viral transmission. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 is initiated by a membrane fusion between the membranes of viral and host cells, mediated by the viral spike protein. We have designed a dimeric lipopeptide fusion inhibitor that blocks this critical first stage of infection for emerging coronaviruses and document that it completely prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection in ferrets.
The group of researchers including Rory D. de Vries, Katharina S. Schmitz, Francesca T. Bovier, Danny Noack, Bart L. Haagmans, Sudipta Biswas, Barry Rockx, Samuel H. Gellman, Christopher A. Alabi, Rik L. de Swart , Anne Moscona and Matteo Porotto believe that “the spray will persist around the cells of the nose and lungs for about 24 hours”.
“Daily intranasal administration to ferrets completely prevented direct contact transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during 24 hours of cohabitation with infected animals, under stringent conditions which resulted in infection of 100% of untreated animals. These lipopeptides are very stable and non-toxic and therefore easily translate into a safe and effective intranasal prophylactic approach to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. “
But that’s not even the best part. “Lipoprotein can be inexpensively produced as a white lyophilized powder that does not need to be refrigerated,” Dr. Moscona said in a New York Times article. “A doctor or pharmacist could mix the powder with sugar and water to make a nasal spray. As lipopeptides can be shipped as a dry powder, they could be used even in rural areas of poor countries without refrigeration. “
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Cover image: Bhavya Poonia / Mashable India
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