Scientists at Peking University in China have successfully conducted tests for a new drug which they claim could help in containing the coronavirus pandemic. Since its outbreak in China, the disease continues to be a massive challenge for scientists and researchers across international borders.

The newly developed drug has been successful in trials at animal stage by reducing viral load in infected mice by 2,500 within a period of five days, claims Sunney Xie, Director of Peking University’s Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics. The drug uses neutralizing antibodies isolated by Xie’s team from the blood of 60 recovered patients. The team’s research study claims that the use of anti-bodies provides a possible cure for the disease and also shortens the time taken for recovery.

The development process of the drug forms part of single-cell genomics and is not based on immunology or virology, asserts Xie. He has further added that the team expects the drug to be ready for use later in the year to contain any potential outbreak.

A Chinese health official had reported last week that the country has five potential vaccines ready to be tested at the human stage.

Scientists across the world have indicated that plasma could be an effective alternative for treating coronavirus. So far, more than 700 infected people in China have undergone plasma therapy with good therapeutic effects. However, as the supply of plasma is limited, the team at Peking University has focused on 14 neutralizing antibodies that could go for immediate mass-production.

Xie has further explained that the injection of mice with neutralizing antibodies before infection with virus has restrained them from getting infected. The new drug may offer a short-term protection of a few weeks to medical workers which could hopefully be extended to a few months, says Xie.

As of now, scientists worldwide have been working upon more than 100 vaccines. The team at Peking hopes that the new drug could be faster and efficient in its efforts to contain the pandemic.

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