Recombinant protein manufacture isn't easy and we continue to explore new and improved options. As part of QC for a new lab, we tested a recent batch of VTose® against Dengue to confirm efficacy (see previous posts for more about this very prevalent disease affecting 400 million annually.)
We're happy to report that the new material also successfully shows antiviral effects even more clearly than our previous test, showing 100% reduction in viral cytopathic effects for two semi-log concentrations of VT, with a computed therapeutic index over twice as high as Ribavirin.
Stay tuned for further news as we proceed to test many more viruses in the near future.
Great news! Keep up the good work. Maybe some good will finally come from Dr. Rider's ground breaking concept. I had hoped that Covid-19 would be an impetus to get this drug to market, but I guess that was not to be. Getting even a tiny slice of the billions in Covid research money would go a long way.
Vaccines have received, by far, the most attention, but they have many deficiencies - trying to hit a continuously moving target, waning immunity, significant numbers of adverse effects, and other issues. Decades of influenza vaccines have far from eliminated influenza, and in fact they never can, because the virus has animal reservoirs forever untouchable by such interventions. The same is now true of SARS-CoV-2 - Covid is now endemic on the planet forever, underscored by such findings of very widespread SARS-CoV-2 infection of deer in the United States (it also infects mice, cats, minks, and doubtless other animals.)
As the inevitable issues with vaccines grow, we think that the need and value of a broad spectrum antiviral that can treat any mutation of the coronavirus will become increasingly apparent worldwide.