First discovered effective agent for colds?

Will there be colds soon??

Everybody has certainly caught a cold at least once in his life. As soon as a cold is approaching, those affected are looking for ways to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Researchers have now developed a drug that works quickly and effectively against cold viruses. This remedy is able to block a protein in the human body that the causative agents of the common cold need to replicate.

The scientists at Imperial College London found in their current research that a special drug could be used in the future for the treatment of colds. This blocks a protein, which means that pathogens of a cold can no longer multiply. The physicians published the results of their study in the English language journal "Nature Chemistry".

So far, there were no ways to fight the cause of a cold. It was only possible to treat the symptoms. This could change in the future. (Image: Rido / fotolia.com)

What characterizes a cold?

Everybody has already experienced colds. Typical symptoms of such a disease include runny nose, sore throat and constant coughing. Proper treatment for a cold can be difficult. Despite all the medical advances, it still seems that only cold and chicken soup are needed to treat the common cold.

Why is the treatment of a cold difficult?

The treatment of a cold is so difficult because the disease can be caused by hundreds of different viruses. These are, above all, representatives of the so-called rhinoviruses. It is almost impossible to vaccinate against all the different viruses. Such a drug could be effective in certain strains of pathogens, but could do nothing in others. In summary, it can be said that viruses can develop, change and adapt quickly. Therefore, it is easy for them to form suitable resistance, the doctors explain.

It is not possible to treat the cause of the common cold

At the present time, only the symptoms of a cold can be tackled, but it is not possible to treat the cause of a cold. The cold itself must be defeated by our immune system. Apparently, however, we can make our body so inhospitable to the viruses of a cold that they can no longer multiply. The new active ingredient does just that: it stops the so-called rhinoviruses from multiplying.

What does IMP-1088 do??

When a cold enters our body, it attacks a human protein cell called N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) to produce a shell that protects the virus as it replicates. The research team has discovered that a molecule called IMP-1088 is able to block a key step in the assembly of this shell, preventing its replication. All viruses are similar and use NMT in the same way, so there is every hope that IMP-1088 will work for other strains as well, the scientists explain.

Where did IMP-1088 come from??

The IMP-1088 molecule was composed by the medical profession of two already known chemical components. Combined, they are able to inhibit a human protein called N-myristoyltransferase (NMT). However, without this protein, common cold viruses can not multiply or survive in the host cell. In experiments in the current study, it has already been confirmed that the newly developed active ingredient blocks the protein so that it can no longer multiply. The replication of so-called rhinoviruses is completely suppressed, say the experts.

No side effects noted

The drug IMP-1088 also seems to have no dangerous side effects. A possible toxicity, which has an effect on the cells, could not be determined, explain the physicians. Many approaches to the treatment of colds have already failed at such or similar side effects. The newly developed drug attacks only the human protein, but the viruses themselves are initially spared. The approach to human protein makes it less likely that the treated viruses become resistant to the drug over time, the researchers add.

People with asthma or COPD benefit from the drug

For most people, a cold is of course not really threatening, it is usually dismissed as a trifle. However, a simple cold can cause serious difficulties for people with certain medical conditions, such as asthma and COPD, says study author Edward Tate of Imperial College London. The new drug could be very useful for such people if given in the early stages of the infection.

Further research is needed

So far, the experiments were performed on animals. The researchers hope that the results achieved in the future can be confirmed in experiments on humans. The drug could then not only be used against cold viruses, but it would probably also act on related pathogens such as polioviruses or the trigger of hand-foot-and-mouth disease. (As)