For several months now, the whole world has been trying to find a treatment for the virus. The United States is testing plasma transfers between cured and sick patients and Russia claims to have developed the first vaccine against coronavirus. However, it looks like France may have discovered a solution to prevent further spread of the virus.
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Preventive treatment against Covid-19
A team of CNRS researchers led by Philippe Karoyan, professor at the Biomolecules Laboratory of the Sorbonne University, have developed a treatment capable of stoping SARS-CoV-2 from spreading.
As Karoyan further explains, the patient would only have to take a few sprays of a nasal spray or a lozenge under the tongue to protect themselves. This treatment prevents the virus from penetrating the lung cells and renders it inactive.
It is meant to be taken as a preventive measure, with several daily doses. It is not intended to cure the virus, but to actually prevent it. Unfortunately, those already infected with COVID-19 will have to seek other treatment or let the virus run its course if the symptoms are not severe.
Treatment for the virus by the end of the year?
Unfortunately, it will still be a while before we're able to use this treatment. For now, it has only been tested on lung cells in the laboratory. It has yet to be tested on living subjects.
Researchers are still waiting for their study to be published in a scientific journal. Then it will have to be evaluated and validated before further progress can be made.
The only thing Philippe Karoyan is sure of is that the treatment is not toxic for human beings. He is currently in discussions with various pharmaceutical groups and if he is able to find adequate funding, he could potentially "propose a formulated product before the end of the year".
Perhaps someday soon, we could be saying goodbye to the coronavirus!
For more details, check out the video above.