Could New Drug Cure Nearly Any Viral Infection?

[Tank]

Could New Drug Cure Nearly Any Viral Infection? Technology Shows Promise Against Common Cold, Influenza and Other Ailments, Researchers Say

ScienceDaily (Aug. 26, 2011) — Most bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics such as penicillin, discovered decades ago. However, such drugs are useless against viral infections, including influenza, the common cold, and deadly hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola.

Now, in a development that could transform how viral infections are treated, a team of researchers at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory has designed a drug that can identify cells that have been infected by any type of virus, then kill those cells to terminate the infection...

Possibly the most important discovey of the 21st century?

[Whitney]

I'd say that is a pretty important discovery if it actually works in human trials.

[Medusa]

In about 20 years we will be paying $100 a pill for these. And then some genius will be making a disease that will be able to withstand this new pill. Then Tom Cruise will have to come in and save the day with his fake masks and gun play while looking hot and wind blowing in his stern but smexy face. I'm on to the whole story!


*continues watching Mission Impossible 3

[Ihateyoumike]

Sounds a bit too good to be true.

Let's hope it works.

[McQ]

Looks like very early stage work still. Lots of hurdles to get over before they can talk about this being worthwhile or effective in humans, but that's how all research starts with new drugs. Really worth continued study and hopefully it will be able to get to human trials.

[Davin]

In about 20 years we will be paying $100 a pill for these. And then some genius will be making a disease that will be able to withstand this new pill. Then Tom Cruise will have to come in and save the day with his fake masks and gun play while looking hot and wind blowing in his stern but smexy face. I'm on to the whole story!


*continues watching Mission Impossible 3

No flying doves? I don't think he can save the world without at least one scene of him walking through doves that are flying away.

[Asmodean]

Protein coatings differ from virus to virus, so how is this thing supposed to kill "nearly any virus" without killing the host as well?

[OldGit]

Protein coatings differ from virus to virus, so how is this thing supposed to kill "nearly any virus" without killing the host as well?

... a drug that can identify cells that have been infected by any type of virus, then kill those cells to terminate the infection ...

It goes for the cells, presumably before they can make and disperse more viruses.

[Asmodean]

It goes for the cells, presumably before they can make and disperse more viruses.

Something still makes me think the hoast will have about as much of a chance of dying from the treatment as from the virus it is supposed to help with...  But I have been known for being wrong on rare occasion. 

[truthandwisdom]

It goes for the cells, presumably before they can make and disperse more viruses.

Something still makes me think the hoast will have about as much of a chance of dying from the treatment as from the virus it is supposed to help with...  But I have been known for being wrong on rare occasion. 

Hello, newbie here but interested in medicine and biology. The synthetic molecule targets only dsRNA which is only produced by a virus infected cell. The molecule leaves the cell unharmed if no dsRNA is found with which to attach. Once the dsRNA is found, the molecule attaches and signals apoptosis (cell suicide). Which makes it impossible for the virus to replicate. It is really an ingenius process that might be revolutionary. Although, if it is truly this universally effective, one could imagine that the powers that be will do all in their power to get financial control of the patent. I hope the creators pull a Jonas Salk and give the instructions away for free. When asked who owns the patent to the polio vaccine, Jonas Salk said "No one. Would you patent the sun?"

[Tank]

^^^ Good point about the patent and the distribution of the finished product. The future will be interesting when natural selection gets going and we get 'super flue' or an obscure viral reproduction mechanism gets selected for and kills 90% of the human race. One way to cure over population.