Yesterday, 13:15 | author: Daria Kuznetsova | Photo ru.depositphotos.com
Scientists at Columbia University have developed a nasal spray that protects against coronavirus… A press release on the results of the work was published in the scientific journal Science.
The new nasal spray contains lipopeptides – they were developed by Dr. Matteo Porotto and his colleague Anna Moscona. The working group also included their fellow pediatricians and virologists.
Lipopeptides act at the cellular level by blocking the fusion of the pathogen with the cell membrane. It is at this stage that a person becomes infected with a coronavirus infection. To get into a cell, the pathogen needs to get close enough to it so that the virus envelope fuses with the cell membrane. In the process of fusion, genetic information enters the cell, and structural changes begin.
Scientists hypothesized that by restricting the pathogen’s access to the cell membrane, they could block the spread of the virus. A test of the new drug in ferrets has shown that it does block the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and its mutations. The molecules are retained in the respiratory tract for 24 hours.
The developers believe the nasal spray will be effective in preventing and treating the latest strains of COVID-19.
Its peculiarity is that lipopeptides have a long shelf life, the spray does not need to be cooled before administration, and its production is inexpensive. The drug can be used as a protection against rhinovirus and other viral infections.
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