The epidemic of new coronavirus pneumonia is still continuing, and many research institutions around the world are going all out to find effective drugs to fight the virus.

In this search for "multiple divisions", the existing drugs were intensified to be screened. The development of specific medicines continued to develop day and night. The unique effects of traditional Chinese medicine against viruses also attracted attention.

Old medicine in use

As a new type of virus, the scientific community's understanding of the new coronavirus is still very limited, which largely limits the development of targeted specific drugs.

The screening of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs and "old drugs and new applications" is more promising to relieve the urgent needs.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus believes that every effort must now be made to use the existing "weapons" to fight the virus while making long-term preparations.

Although it is "new", it still belongs to "coronavirus" in classification. Therefore, antiviral drugs that are effective against similar viruses such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronavirus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Coronavirus are worth a try.

According to the introduction by the WHO on February 20, two clinical trials focused on by the WHO's new coronavirus pneumonia treatment program research and development plan are underway, and preliminary results are expected to be obtained within 3 weeks.

One therapy uses the anti-HIV drugs lopinavir and ritonavir, and the other uses the antiviral drug Remdesivir.

Remdesivir is a broad-spectrum antiviral drug developed by Gilead Technology, Inc., which is mainly used to treat Ebola hemorrhagic fever and MERS.

Previous studies have shown the drug's effectiveness against coronavirus, but clinical trials have not been completed and it has not been approved for marketing. Based on the "sympathetic medication" principle, US researchers used Remdesivir on a new coronavirus infected person, and the symptoms of the patient improved significantly within a day or two, making this drug attracting attention.

The combined use of lopinavir and ritonavir also belongs to "old medicine new use". Previous studies have shown that the two components alone can inhibit SARS coronavirus, and combined use can produce a synergistic effect.

However, the results of a recently published study show that this combination is not superior to the control group in improving clinical symptoms and speeding up virus clearance in patients with new coronavirus infections.

In addition, the malaria treatment drug chloroquine phosphate has entered the sixth edition of the new Coronavirus Pneumonia diagnosis and treatment program released by the China National Health Commission, which is expected to further summarize the efficacy on the basis of more applications; the antiviral drug piravir is also worthy of attention. Scientific research The team is moving forward with animal experiments and clinical trials.

Targeted R&D on specific drugs

To develop a new type of anti-coronavirus special-effect drug, we must first recognize the "true face" of the new coronavirus. Therefore, preliminary work such as pathogen research and genome sequencing is very important.

Within days of discovering the new coronavirus, Chinese researchers quickly shared the virus's gene sequence on a public platform, allowing global scientific institutions to act in the first time to fight against this "common enemy."

Based on the viral genome sequence provided by China, a US research team first mapped the 3D structure of a key protein molecule of the new coronavirus for the first time. This protein can be used as a key target for the development of therapeutic antibodies, drugs and vaccines.

For example, new protein molecules or antibodies that bind to this protein and inhibit its function can be designed accordingly. The team has sent atomic coordinate data for this structure to multiple laboratories around the world.

From the perspective of research and development, at present, various institutions around the world have basically referred to the drug development strategies of SARS and MERS, including the development of targeted small molecule drugs, small interference RNA drugs, and neutralizing antibodies.

Some of these drugs work by inhibiting the virus's replication cycle enzymes and viral surface proteins, and some drugs block the virus from entering host cells by enhancing the host's own immunity.

The research and development of special-effect drugs are basically in the initial stage at present, and there are many problems to be solved and the required period is long.

However, some new technologies and platforms are expected to "speed up" drug development. For example, some research and development institutions have stated that rapid screening technology can be used to find monoclonal antibodies to accelerate the development of drugs for new coronaviruses.

Columbia University in the United States recently cooperated with the Ma Yun Public Welfare Foundation to set up a special project for the development of new coronavirus drugs and antibodies. He Dayi, a well-known Chinese AIDS scientist, was the project leader.

Project researchers will use four different methods to develop drugs or antibodies to prevent virus replication.

In any case, new drug development will not happen overnight. As Academician Zhou Qi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said, we all look forward to the emergence of a new drug, but there are objective restrictions on the emergence of new drugs and also time requirements.

Scientific things can't lower the standard, we must finish it according to the drug development process.

The effect of Chinese medicine is concerned

Xu Nanping, deputy minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, said recently that traditional Chinese medicine has achieved positive results in blocking the development of patients with mild new type of coronavirus pneumonia. The integrated treatment plan of traditional Chinese and western medicine has incorporated a new type of coronavirus pneumonia diagnosis and treatment plan, and is constantly improving.

Emeritus Professor Nicholas Robinson of the South Bank University in London, UK, recently published a paper in collaboration with Chinese colleagues to discuss the application of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of new coronavirus pneumonia.

She believes that traditional Chinese medicine has shown some promise in the treatment of new coronavirus pneumonia, and it is "really worthwhile" to invest resources to further study the role they can play, because there are only few "tools" that can be used to fight new coronavirus pneumonia.

Misha Cohen, a registered acupuncturist in San Francisco, USA, said that many Chinese herbal medicines may be suitable for the treatment of new coronavirus pneumonia.

There are some herbal formulas that are often used for immune support. Chinese medicine is called nourishing formula, which can nourish qi and dampness. These prescriptions have different pharmacological effects and can be used to prevent infection.

In addition, there are some herbs that can clear heat and detoxify. From the perspective of western medicine, they have specific antiviral and antibacterial effects.

Member of the French Traditional Chinese Medicine Committee Mark Freial believes that Chinese medicine can help reduce fever or sputum, and fever and sputum are two symptoms of viral pneumonia.

However, any drug has side effects, and Chinese medicine is based on personalized treatment, so it is important to strengthen research before promoting it.

Special Report: Fighting The New Coronavirus