Bennifosbuvir, a drug prescribed so far for hepatitis C, is one of about ten potential cures for Sars-CoV 2. The virologist conducting the research opened the doors of his Marseille laboratory to us.
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Bruno Canard leads us into the room of freezers and incubators:“Here there is no virus, as incredible as it may seem”. For a year and a half, the CNRS research director at Aix Marseille University, yet tests the reaction of Covid-19 to bemnifosbuvir well. This molecule was originally developed by the American biotechnology company Atea to treat hepatitis C. A dozen drugs that could potentially treat Sars-CoV 2 are currently under study.
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Bruno Canard’s research is carried out on bacteria that simulate the proteins of the virus that the pill must attack: “The bacterium has just been put in the vial. We see the molecule which is inserted into the target and which puts ‘the sand in the machine’ of the virus, which prevents it from replicating.”
Bennifosbuvir will it be effective against other variants? “The target will always be the same and the effectiveness will be the same. The advantages of the drug compared to what exists are, on the one hand, that it is orally available, and on the other hand, that it does not create no mutations and is devoid of toxicity”, responds the researcher.
The first trials took place in the United States on a few patients affected by comorbidities. The results are promising. The severe forms are as if prevented. It’s a “very very proud” for Camille Falco, 26, design engineer: “It’s nice to see that we are finally reaching the goal. There are additional tests to be done, of course.”
“We do basic research, so there’s still a long way to go, but we’re on the right track.”
Camille Falco, design engineerat franceinfo
These tests on a larger panel must take place in the spring. Isn’t it too late as the government sees the end of the fifth wave? “There are still 250,000 people in France who are immunocompromised and who are desperately waiting for a drug to be able to control the virus”, recalls Professor Duck.
Bemnifosbuvir could also intervene in the treatment of long Covid and intervene in a combined treatment in dual therapy or triple therapy with other existing drugs.
Research for anti-Covid treatment in Marseille: report by William de Lesseux
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