New drug could treat long COVID and prevent re-infection

A breakthrough by QIMR Berghofer researchers could lead to a potential new long COVID drug. This could transform the treatment of COVID-19 by potentially protecting against infection by any SARS-CoV-2 variant and reversing the persistent inflammation that is a major driver of debilitating long COVID. Epigeneticist and co-lead author, Professor Sudha Rao who heads QIMR Berghofer’s Gene Regulation & Translational Medicine Group, said the drug was tested repeatedly by independent laboratories using a variety of pre-clinical models. “The results of this second major study are really exciting. It shows our drug, NACE2i, stops the virus replicating and protects against re-infection,” Professor Rao said. Long COVID is thought to affect between 10-20 percent of those infected with COVID-19. Debilitating long-term symptoms include fatigue, breathlessness, and brain fog. It is a significant global health burden, affecting everyday functioning with many sufferers unable to work or carry out household tasks. “We want to help patients. This is why we work in science. We are really proud of what we have achieved here. We are confident NACE2i is a potential treatment for long COVID that will relieve those debilitating symptoms and revive immune function,” Professor Rao said.

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