Australian Scientists Develop Drug That Suppresses Coronavirus Within 48 Hours

Scientists from Monash University and the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia have discovered a new antiviral drug that, according to experts, is capable of suppressing the reproduction of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in cells. As reported by ria.ru, the researchers analyzed the drug's effect on cells infected with the coronavirus under laboratory conditions, where they administered the medication two hours after infection.

It was found that after 24 hours, a single dose of the drug reduced the amount of viral RNA by 93%, and after two days, by more than 99%. "After 48 hours, this effect had increased, resulting in a 5000-fold reduction in viral RNA. This indicates that the use of this medication led to the loss of almost all viral material," the study stated.

The scientists believe that the antiviral drug could help reduce the viral load of SARS-CoV-2, prevent the development of disease complications, and limit the transmission of the infection from person to person.