Study finds combination of three antiviral drugs help COVID-19 patients recover quickly

As countries across the world are ramping up their research to find a definite cure and vaccine to coronavirus disease, a new study has found out that a combination of three antiviral drugs along with an immunity booster quickly treats COVID-19 patients. Even though researchers claim that the approach requires more testing but it can be a potential treatment for coronavirus infection. Dr Kwok-Yung at Hong Kong University and colleagues reportedly tested the combination of HIV drug, remdesvir with ritonavir and lopanivir, the general antiviral drug ribavirin and a multiple sclerosis drug beta interferon.

The findings of the new study came when the only authorized treatment for coronavirus disease remains the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir. Countries including the United States and Japan have already approved the emergency use of the drug over the patients who show severe symptoms of COVID-19 infection. However, the global infections of the novel virus have surpassed four million but the supply of HIV drug is limited.

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The patients under the study at Hong Kong University had mild to moderate symptoms and were cured in a week after testing positive of COVID-19. Some medical professionals reportedly also advised treating the patients in the preliminary stage of the disease. 

The researchers at Hong Kong University gave HIV drug combination while others were subjected to triple-drug therapy. According to the study published in the Lancet medical journal, the COVID-19 patients who were given just the HIV drugs took at least 12 days to heal from the disease while the ones who received the cocktail of drugs tested negative of coronavirus in just seven days. 

The study said, “This study showed that early treatment with the triple combination of antiviral therapy with interferon beta-1b, lopinavir–ritonavir, and ribavirin is safe and highly effective in shortening the duration of virus shedding, decreasing cytokine responses, alleviating symptoms, and facilitating the discharge of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.”

“Furthermore, the triple antiviral therapy rapidly rendered viral load negative in all specimens, thereby reducing infectiousness of the patient,” it added. 

Antimicrobial coating 

In another scientifically developed product by Hong Kong researchers, they came up with an antiviral coating that protects surfaces from bacterias and viruses for at least 90 days. Scientists at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology reportedly took at least ten years to develop the coating called Multilevel Antimicrobial Polymer or MAP-1, which can be sprayed on surfaces for public use especially during these times of global health crisis for protection. 

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(Image Source: Unsplash/Representative)