LOS ANGELES : A modified drug prescribed to treat tapeworms may be effective against COVID-19, according to a study conducted in lab.
The team at the Scripps Research Institute in the US said it was known for 10 to 15 years that the class of drugs called salicylanilides work against certain viruses, but they tend to be gut-restricted and can have toxicity issues.
According to the study published in the journal ACS Infectious Disease, the modified salicylanilide compound overcomes both issues, in mouse and cell-based tests.
The compounds act as both an antiviral and an anti-inflammatory drugs, with properties that auger well for its use in pill form, the researchers said.