MIT researchers develop a technique to cure a broad range of viruses

[Chris_]

MIT scientist Dr. Todd Rider has developed a viral infection treatment that works by triggering host cell suicide when it finds the cell has been producing double-stranded RNA. Since dsRNA is the mechanism by which all viral infections proceed, but is not part of normal cellular function, the treatment seems both universal and safe.

Viral pathogens pose serious health threats worldwide. For clinical viruses such as HIV or hepatitis, emerging viruses such as avian or swine influenza, and highly lethal viruses such as Ebola or smallpox that might be used in bioterrorist attacks, relatively few therapeutics or prophylactics (preventatives) exist. Most therapeutics that do exist are highly specific for one virus, are ineffective against virus strains that become resistant to them, or have adverse effects on patients.

In work reported in the journal PLoS ONE, DRACO was shown to be effective against all 15 viruses that the team has so far tested in cells, including cold viruses (rhinoviruses), H1N1 influenza strains, adenoviruses, a stomach virus (reovirus), a polio virus, dengue fever virus, and several members of hemorrhagic fever arenavirus and bunyavirus families. DRACO was also demonstrated to be nontoxic in 11 different cell types representing various species (e.g., humans, monkeys, mice) and organ types (e.g., heart, lung, liver, kidney). In addition, experiments demonstrated that DRACO not only is nontoxic to mice but also can save mice infected with a lethal dose of H1N1 influenza. Currently, the team is testing additional viruses in mice and beginning to get promising results with those as well.

Dr. Rider says that although more extensive testing is needed, "DRACO has the potential to revolutionize the treatment and prevention of virtually all viral diseases, including everything from the common cold to Ebola." He adds, "Because the antiviral activity of DRACO is so broad spectrum, we hope that it may even be useful against outbreaks of new or mutated viruses, such as the 2003 SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome] outbreak."

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

[thundley4]

A miracle cure?  It almost sounds too good to be true.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Interesting that they don't mention HIV.  That would really turn on the money tap, not that MIT-sponsored research normally suffers from any funding issues.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

No one ever read H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds?

This is what done in the martians!

[thundley4]

No one ever read H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds?

This is what done in the martians!

I never read the book, but in the original movie weren't they killed by our atmosphere?

[Wineslob]

I never read the book, but in the original movie weren't they killed by our atmosphere?

Common Cold

[Erasmus]

Unfortunately, due to the high cost of development of the drug, and the low reimbursement rates under Obamacare, the program will be cancelled in the near future, as soon as the pharma companies figure out that they cannot buy the patent and create the drug without losing money.

[Gratiot]

Sigh... there goes viral evolution of the human species.   

This is a pretty interesting technique to discover. 

[vesta111]

Sigh... there goes viral evolution of the human species.   

This is a pretty interesting technique to discover. 

I think the first thing our military would want to know  is if this technique can be reversed in order to infect our enemy's.

Germ warfare goes so far back in time, Was it the Greeks that noticed that their horses were dieing , culled out the sick ones and sent them to mingle with the enemy's horses.

You know that any new discovery is checked closely by everyones military to see if it can be used as a weapon in some way.