R&D

Can a heartburn drug help doctors treat COVID-19?

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors in Wuhan noticed something surprising. Many of the elderly patients who survived the virus were poor: not exactly the demographic you would expect to fare well in a health crisis.

A review of the survivors’ medical records revealed that a significant number suffered from chronic heartburn and were taking an inexpensive drug called famotidine, the key ingredient in Pepcid.

Existing drugs kill SARS-CoV2 in cells

Since the beginning of the pandemic, researchers worldwide have been looking for ways to treat COVID-19. And while the COVID-19 vaccines represent the best measure to prevent the disease, therapies for those who do get infected remain in short supply. A new groundbreaking study from U-M reveals several drug contenders already in use for other purposes - including one dietary supplement - that have been shown to block or reduce SARS-CoV2 infection in cells.

The COVIDome online portal can rapidly accelerate coronavirus research worldwide

To further accelerate COVID-19 research on a global scale, investigators from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have created a multidimensional dataset, known as the COVIDome dataset, derived from hospitalized COVID-19 patients versus negative controls. The team has now launched a public online portal called the COVIDome Explorer to share that data in real time.

Problems in thinking and attention linked to COVID-19 infection

The research found that those with more severe COVID-19 symptoms scored lower on an online series of tests, with performance on reasoning and problem-solving tasks being most affected. Further analysis of the data indicated that those who received mechanical ventilation to help them breathe whilst in hospital had the greatest impairment on cognitive tasks.

A protein-based COVID-19 vaccine that mimics the shape of the virus

Even as several safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are being administered to people worldwide, scientists are still hard at work developing different vaccine strategies that could provide even stronger or longer-lasting immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have immunized mice with nanoparticles that mimic SARS-CoV-2 by displaying multiple copies of the receptor binding domain (RBD) antigen, showing that the vaccine triggers robust antibody and T cell responses.

Lancaster University intranasal vaccine offers promise to block COVID-19 where it starts

Research by Lancaster University scientists to create a COVID-19 vaccine which can be administered through the nose has taken a significant step forward.

The pre-clinical animal trials of the intranasal vaccine showed a reduction in both the impact of the disease itself and transmission of the virus.

Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 remain stable, or even increase, seven months after infection

The levels of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein remain stable, or even increase, seven months after infection, according to a follow-up study in a cohort of healthcare workers coordinated by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by "la Caixa" Foundation, in collaboration with the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona. The results, published in Nature Communications, also support the idea that pre-existing antibodies against common cold coronaviruses could protect against COVID-19.

Research & Development

Can a heartburn drug help doctors treat COVID-19?

Existing drugs kill SARS-CoV2 in cells

The COVIDome online portal can rapidly accelerate coronavirus research worldwide

Problems in thinking and attention linked to COVID-19 infection

A protein-based COVID-19 vaccine that mimics the shape of the virus

Lancaster University intranasal vaccine offers promise to block COVID-19 where it starts

Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 remain stable, or even increase, seven months after infection

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