Powerful Antiviral Treatment for COVID-19 Discovered That Could Change How Epidemics Are Managed

COVID-19 Antibodies Illustration

A study shows that thapsigargin is a promising broad spectrum antiviral, highly effective against COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2), a common cold coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and the influenza A virus.

Researchers from the University of Nottingham have discovered a novel antiviral property of a drug that could have major implications in how future epidemics/pandemics — including COVID-19 — are managed.

The study, published in Viruses, shows that thapsigargin is a promising broad spectrum antiviral, highly effective against COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2), a common cold coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and the influenza A virus.

Given that acute respiratory virus infections caused by different viruses are clinically indistinguishable on presentation, an effective broad-spectrum that can target different virus types at the same time could significantly improve clinical management. An antiviral of this type could potentially be made available for community use to control active infection and its spread.

The study is a collaborative project led by Professor Kin-Chow Chang and experts at the University of Nottingham (Schools of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, Biosciences, Pharmacy, Medicine, and Chemistry), and colleagues at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), China Agricultural University and the Pirbright Institute.

In this ground-breaking study, the team of experts found that the plant-derived antiviral, at small doses, triggers a highly effective broad-spectrum host-centered antiviral innate immune response against three major types of human respiratory viruses — including COVID-19.

The key features based on cell and animal studies, which make thapsigargin a promising antiviral are that it is:

  • effective against viral infection when used before or during active infection
  • able to prevent a virus from making new copies of itself in cells for at least 48 hours after a single 30-minute exposure.
  • stable in acidic pH, as found in the stomach, and therefore can be taken orally, so could be administered without the need for injections or hospital admission.
  • not sensitive to virus resistance.
  • at least several hundred-fold more effective than current antiviral options.
  • just as effective in blocking combined infection with coronavirus and influenza A virus as in single-virus infection.
  • safe as an antiviral (a derivative of thapsigargin has been tested in prostate cancer).

Professor Chang said: “Whilst we are still at the early stages of research into this antiviral and its impact on how viruses such as Covid-19 can be treated, these findings are hugely significant.

“The current pandemic highlights the need for effective antivirals to treat active infections, as well as vaccines, to prevent the infection. Given that future pandemics are likely to be of animal origin, where animal to human (zoonotic) and reverse zoonotic (human to animal) spread take place, a new generation of antivirals, such as thapsigargin, could play a key role in the control and treatment of important viral infections in both humans and animals.”

Indeed, influenza virus, coronavirus, and RSV are global pathogens of humans as well as animals. Thapsigargin represents a lead compound in the development of a new generation of powerful host-centered antivirals (as opposed to conventional antiviral drugs that directly target viruses) that could even be adopted in a holistic “One Health” approach to control human and animal viruses.

Professor Chang adds: “Although more testing is clearly needed, current findings strongly indicate that thapsigargin and its derivatives are promising antiviral treatments against COVID-19 and influenza virus, and have the potential to defend us against the next Disease X pandemic.”

Reference: “Thapsigargin Is a Broad-Spectrum Inhibitor of Major Human Respiratory Viruses: Coronavirus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza A Virus” by Sarah Al-Beltagi, Cristian Alexandru Preda, Leah V. Goulding, Joe James, Juan Pu, Paul Skinner, Zhimin Jiang, Belinda Lei Wang, Jiayun Yang, Ashley C. Banyard, Kenneth H. Mellits, Pavel Gershkovich, Christopher J. Hayes, Jonathan Nguyen-Van-Tam, Ian H. Brown, Jinhua Liu and Kin-Chow Chang, 2 February 2021, Viruses.
DOI: 10.3390/v13020234

10 Comments on "Powerful Antiviral Treatment for COVID-19 Discovered That Could Change How Epidemics Are Managed"

  1. if anybody thinks that the big drug companies are going to allow a drug like this to come out and destroy their stronghold on CVS and Walgreens and then new an untested coronavirus vaccines that they’re all poking us with we’re fooling ourselves

  2. What is the mechanism of action? Frankly the bullet points read like a bombastic ad.

  3. I wouldn’t trust anything coming from China.

  4. Don’t get too excited; it also promotes cancer tumors (Google).

  5. Steven C. Hines | February 3, 2021 at 5:56 pm | Reply

    This article sucked. I love the pronouncements at the end “more testing is needed”. How very typical. It’s only the apocalypse but, yeah, more testing is needed. Same with ivermectin and hydroxy chloroquine; we better just keep our minds all focused like SHEEP on what Anthony Fauci says the Pfizer says is good for society. Yeah, more testing.

  6. There is no way in ^*&# anyone can know that this drug would be “not sensitive to virus resistance,” but given what we know about all other drugs it would be at least very Very VERY unlikely!

  7. AintNoWayTarred | February 4, 2021 at 5:33 pm | Reply

    Why is society collapsing? Reading the comments here is to be drawn into a vortex of vapidity, a sphincter of stupidity, an enormity of ignorance.

  8. “I wouldn’t trust anything coming from China.”

    Interesting that Nottingham is now part of China.

  9. We have a super strong antiviral its called silver the Egyptians used for thousands of year to disinfect there water its abroad spectrum antiviral my dad says its the strongest antiviral the and then drank right in front of me and was just fine

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