Researchers from an infection biology unit of the German Primate Center – Leibniz Institute for Primate have concluded that two clinically proven drugs might have good potential in the treatment of COVID-19.
Camostat mesilate[1] is a drug approved in Japan for use in pancreatic inflammation while E64d[2] has been studied in the past as a successful candidate for the treatment of traumatic brain injury.
Both drugs are classified as “protease inhibitors”, which are are molecules that inhibit the function of “proteases”. Proteases are natural enzymes which help break down protein. These enzymes are used by our body for digestive purposes. Viruses find them helpful in activating them. TMPRSS2 is the enzyme in the case of novel coronavirus 2019-20.
. “Our results suggest that camostat mesilate might also protect against COVID-19,” says Markus Hoffmann, a member of the research team. “This should be investigated in clinical trials.”
References:
[1] https://www.dpz.eu/en/home/single-view/news/die-vermehrung-von-sars-coronavirus-2-im-menschen-verhindern.html [2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0026049597902845
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry9wPe3roP4
A Med School survivor. Made it through terrible tests, fatal exams, dreadful vivas, clueless OSCEs and currently surviving hospital rotations. Brain function drops to 0.2% during rounds but still able to maintain my sanity.