Using a novel in vivo research model containing human lung tissue, UNC School of Medicine scientists led by Victor Garcia, PhD, and Angela Wahl, PhD, demonstrated that the broad spectrum, experimental drug EIDD-2801 proved dramatically effective at preventing and treating SARS-CoV-2 infection in human tissue in the lab.
The number of new COVID-19 cases continues to rise in many parts of the world, with the highest incidence in the United States. Although several highly efficacious vaccines have been authorized for emergency use, it may take considerable time to reach target vaccination levels needed for herd immunity due to the logistics of vaccine manufacturing, shipping, storage, and distribution as well as public acceptance.
Recently, SARS-CoV-2 variants have emerged which appear to have increased transmissibility and have added more challenges to ensure vaccine viability. Therefore, alternative treatments and preventive approaches that can be widely and rapidly implemented are urgently needed to curb the risk for COVID-19 related hospitalization and death in multiple settings including nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
Publishing their work in Nature, scientists at the UNC School of Medicine and UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health tested how the orally administered experimental drug EIDD-2801 halts SARS-CoV-2 replication and prevents infection of human cells in a new in vivo model containing human lung tissue.
Read more in the UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine Newsroom.