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| SARS scientists draw on AIDS research |
| CCTV.COM 2003-05-12 10:05:29 |
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Scientists are capitalising on nearly two decades of AIDS research to develop new treatments to help keep the SARS virus at bay.
Pioneering AIDS expert David Ho told a news conference in Hong Kong on Sunday that he is collaborating with a team of scientists on a new drug to control the SARS virus.
They are testing and refining the synthetic protein "inhibitor", or peptide, aimed at blocking the SARS virus from penetrating human cells.
David Ho said, " We got involved only three weeks ago and here, we are telling you the inhibitor that works so things could go fast but I wouldn't want to tell you a particular date for which such therapies would apply in humans."
This approach used by Ho and scientists from the University of Hong Kong in their battle against SARS is adopted from a drug that is used in an array of medicines to fight HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Scientists believe there are similarities in the way the SARS and HIV viruses attack human cells.
The scientist said the peptide proved successful in preventing the SARS virus from entering cultured cells in initial tests, but more work and fine tuning were needed.
Doctors have been using a cocktail of the antiviral drug, ribavirin, and steroids to treat the 1,674 patients so far in Hong Kong but up to 20 per cent have not responded.
Experts elsewhere have questioned this treatment, saying there was no proof that it worked, and have also warned of possible harmful side－effects of the drug.
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Editor: Inner Wu CCTV.com
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