Russia develops new generation anti-flu drug with superior effectiveness

Interferon type 3 developed by Russian scientists helps inhibit many types of viruses and reduce mortality rates, opening up a more effective way to prevent flu than current drugs.

According to a VNA reporter in Moscow, scientists from St. Petersburg State University (SPbPU) and the AA Smorodintsev Influenza Research Institute have obtained type 3 interferon under laboratory conditions.

This drug has superior anti-influenza effects compared to existing interferons. The study was published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.

Respiratory viral infections are a global problem and scientists are still looking for different strategies to deal with them.

One method that has proven effective is to stimulate the innate immune response. Interferons are proteins produced in response to the invasion of viruses and other harmful agents.

Interferons thus provide the body's first and most important line of defense against viruses. Type 1 and type 2 interferons were studied in detail in the second half of the 20th century.

Associate Professor Alexey Lozhkov from the College of Biomedical Systems and Technologies of SPbPU, one of the main authors of the study, said that the obtained protein preparation has antiviral activity against influenza viruses, coronaviruses and Chikungunya fever viruses (transmitted by mosquito bites).

When interferon-lambda (type 3) was used as a prophylactic regimen in laboratory mice, the drug prevented the spread of influenza A virus in the lungs, while reducing weight loss and the risk of death.

The SPbPU research team also reported that the study also demonstrated the effectiveness of type 3 interferon in secondary infections, which were responsible for high mortality, such as in the 1918-1920 Spanish flu pandemic.

The new drug is expected to be available as nasal drops or a spray, suitable for prophylactic use after exposure to an infected person or in the early stages of the disease.

However, the authors warn that the use of interferon may not be appropriate in the acute phase of the disease, especially when the patient has a high fever because it can increase the inflammatory process. Therefore, in the acute phase, interferon, especially type 1, should be used with extreme caution to avoid unwanted reactions./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nga-phat-trien-thuoc-chong-cum-the-he-moi-vuot-troi-ve-hieu-qua-post1053639.vnp