More and more countries with more resources are opening their doors to a more normal way of life. COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV-2 virus, on the other hand, continue to pose a significant threat in many parts of the world.
A significant part of the problem stems from a scarcity of medicines that are effective, easy to distribute, and easy to obtain, all of which are currently available.
Recent research on a new drug combination, on the other hand, has yielded encouraging results. It is possible to meet all availability and efficacy requirements by using nafamostat and Pegasys (IFN) in combination.
“This combination effectively suppresses the infection,” said Professor Denis Kainov from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
The experiments were carried out on cell cultures as well as on hamsters. This does not necessarily imply that the combination will be effective in humans, but it is a promising sign nonetheless.
Nafamostat is already being tested as a monotherapy against COVID-19 in Japan, among other places. Pegasys (IFN) is currently primarily used to treat hepatitis C. Combining the two appears to be beneficial.
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“Both drugs attack a factor in our cells called TMPRSS2, which plays a critical role in viral replication,” said Magnar Bjørås, a professor in the Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine.
This could be a valuable tip for researchers who are already experimenting with nafamostat in the fight against COVID-19.
In addition, only low doses of combination medicine are required.
“The low doses of the drugs in combination may have several clinical advantages. including fewer adverse events and improved outcomes for patients,” said Aleksandr Ianevski, a doctoral research fellow affiliated with the Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine.
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In other words, the combination of medications can both save lives and make patients’ lives easier. Nafamostat is reasonably priced. The disadvantage of Pegasys (IFN) is its higher price.
COVID-19 has officially killed 4.55 million people worldwide. However, unreported numbers are likely to be very high in parts of the world where the cause of death is not always accurately recorded.
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The research group is very international but has its focus in Norway. NTNU’s research partners include Oslo University Hospital (Rikshospitalet), the University of Oslo, the French precision medicine company Oncodesign, the University of Tartu in Estonia, and the University of Helsinki.
Source: Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Journal reference: doi.org/10.3390/v13091768
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