MELBOURNE: An anti-parasitic head lice drug available across the world has been found to kill coronavirus in the lab within 48 hours.
According to the media reports, a Monash University-led study has shown a single dose of the drug Ivermectin could completely stop the COVID-19 growing in cell culture.
Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute’s Dr Kylie Wagstaff said: “We found that even a single dose could essentially remove all viral RNA (effectively removed all genetic material of the virus) by 48 hours and that even at 24 hours there was a really significant reduction in it.”
While it’s not known how Ivermectin works on the coronavirus, the drug likely stops the virus dampening the host cells’ ability to grow. The next step is for scientists to determine the correct human dosage, to make sure the level used is safe for humans.
Dr Wagstaff added “In times when we’re having a global epidemic and there isn’t an approved treatment, if we had a compound that was already available around the world then that might help people sooner.”
Scientists expect it could be at least a month before human trials. Before Ivermectin can be used to curb coronavirus, funding is required to get it to pre-clinical testing and clinical trials.
Ivermectin is an FDA-approved anti-parasitic drug also shown to be effective against viruses including HIV, dengue and influenza.
The study is the joint work of Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity.
On the other hand, health authorities are warning people against self-medicating with this drug, saying it could be harmful.
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