According to a study reported in PLOS Computational Biology, a new molecular biology technique can be used to identify the virus-fighting potential of existing drugs designed to treat other conditions. Researches at Vanderbilt have developed a strategy to identify drugs with the potential to fight other deadly viral infections. Gene-trap insertional mutagenesis is being used to identify genes that allow viruses to take over human cells but are not necessary for cell survival. Next, a computational framework was used to screen existing drugs that effect these genes. There were 110 genes that produce proteins that could serve as targets for existing drugs. Many of these genes were involved in HIV-1 and Ebola. So far, it was found that the anti-arrhythmia drug ajmaline as a potential Ebola treatment. This method still has a lot of research to be done and many trials to go through before it can actually be used but I believe that it is a good start. By using drugs that have known effects, known side effects, and are already approved for treatment for other conditions could be a very big advancement in the medical field. Instead of having to do massive amounts on research for a new treatment and for the treatment to be specifically designed for one virus such as Ebola, it would be a time saver to just use known drugs.
Read more at: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20161003/New-molecular-biology-technique-could-help-identify-virus-fighting-potential-of-existing-drugs.aspx
Instead of finding drugs that target the viruses, you use drugs known to attack specific genes that viruses will attach to then attack that. That is a unique way to solve a problem that has potential.
ReplyDeleteMorgan,
ReplyDeleteI find this very cool that they found a way to use the resources that we already have and know how they work to use in a different way. The ability to identify the virus-fighting potential of existing drugs designed to treat other conditions could be very advantageous because drugs that we already have and know could be used in combination to fight against viruses that currently have no cure.
If they are able to be used in combination with other medications then this also could be beneficial for preventing viruses that can become resistant to drugs through the overuse of a certain medication
ReplyDeleteThis could definitely save time since pre-existing drugs would be used. It could potentially lead to effective treatments for viruses that currently have none or even improve current treatments used for many viruses in a quicker time frame than designing completely new drugs. Additionally, it would also save a lot of money since new drugs would not have to go through the drug development process.
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