A COVID cure? Georgia State University discover new antiviral drug that completely suppresses virus

[True Dough]

ATLANTA — Researchers at Georgia State University say they have discovered a new antiviral drug that completely suppresses transmission of COVID-19 within 24 hours.

The drug, called Molnupiravir (MK-4482/EIDD-2801), is taken orally as a pill. Channel 2′s Tom Regan was at GSU, where he talked to Dr. Richard Plemper, the lead on the study.

“This is the first demonstration of an orally available drug to rapidly block SARS-CoV-2 transmission,” Plemper said. “MK-4482/EIDD-2801 could be game-changing.”

Plemper said the drug rapidly shuts down the replication of the virus in the body, derailing it to the point that the person is no longer contagious and can’t spread to other people.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/gsu-researchers-say-new-drug-completely-suppresses-covid-19-transmission/UASJIOG4SRB6TDAZM5DKVHHK2I/

[Marie Marie]

1. Hope this turns out to be as good as it sounds. It would save so many lives.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Hope all the money behind vaccines won't screw the production of this drug.

Remember that Sonny Purdue of Georgia has been found to have made suspiciously timely stock buys of
the company that has announced a vaccine.

[Hoyt]

9. David Perdue, but Sonny is also a trumpster Ahole.

[CottonBear]

19. Head of USDA & former Gov. Sonny Perdue is cousin of Sen. David Perdue. NT

[soothsayer]

2. Wow that would be something

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. The video states that so far, the drug has not been tested on humans, but only in animals.

It is now in human trials.

So it's not as far along as the vaccines are. It may work; it may not.

Drugs often work in animals and then don't work well in humans.

I wonder why we haven't heard about this drug before now.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. Good question

[live love laugh]

17. Probably because there're numerous simultaneous efforts

and rapidly changing developments seemingly daily.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. The headline should be:

If It Works As Well In Humans As It Does In Ferrets

then we'll have something good.

This is a lot like the articles you see touting some new drug that appears to cure cancer because it destroys cancer cells in a petrie dish.

I mean, really, ferrets? Maybe they should be testing that drug on the mink in Denmark.

[rickyhall]

6. Capitalism - big drug companies will overcharge, so this might have a chance.

[Hoyt]

10. Vaccines are reasonable, and recipients will supposedly get it "free."

[pat_k]

7. Hope it proves to be that effective, but I view results with ferrets cautiously

There are several clinical trials under way, all in recruiting status, so results are probably a ways off.

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=&term=Molnupiravir&cntry=&state=&city=&dist=

A Nov 23 report simply names it as an antiviral in the pipeline.

Merck's COVID-19 pipeline: vaccines and anti-virals

Merck's other COVID-19 efforts include a collaboration with Miami-headquartered Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to evaluate molnupiravir (EIDD-2801), an investigational orally available anti-viral candidate in Phase 2/3 trials for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 in both outpatient and inpatient settings.

I certainly hope it proves to be as promising as it sounds, but I would take the great results with ferrets with a grain of salt.

[Initech]

11. Whatever it takes to kill this thing, I am all for it!

[usajumpedtheshark]

12. The drug action seems oddly specific. I hope it works in humans without any nasty side effects

[DENVERPOPS]

13. We need to seriously

question anything coming out of Georgia these days........

AND look at every single stock purchase in the company for the month before their announced "cure" for Covid.

[mjvpi]

14. Georgia. The new center of America!

[Buckeyeblue]

20. Atlanta is for sure...

The rest of Atlanta both obstructs progress and benefits from what all Atlanta brings to the state.

[Maru Kitteh]

15. omg please, please be true and please be safe and effective

[live love laugh]

18. +1

[yaesu]

16. I'm sure some inside traders are going to get rich off this news nt

[Nevilledog]

25. Paging David Perdue.

[BComplex]

21. Think of all the first responders that could be helped by this!!

That would be a prayer answered, for sure.

[crickets]

24. First responders, elderly in care homes, kids in school. It would be a boon. nt