[Scarling]

Hey. I thought this was pretty cool so I'm sharing it here...

http://www.thirdage.com/news/virus-killing-superdrug-developed_08-12-2011

A new method for killing any virus has been developed by a team working at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology. The drug can, in theory, kill any virus ranging from the common cold to HIV.

Unlike bacteria, a virus uses the body's cells against itself. A virus will inject its DNA into a healthy cell, and then hijack the cell to begin churning out copies of the virus. Eventually, the cell is full of the virus and bursts letting loose copies of the virus to infect more cells.

To date, our methods to combat viruses have been limited: we can make vaccines against some viruses, which cause the body's immune system to recognize and attack the virus. But viruses mutate and vaccines take a long time to make. We can treat some viruses with drugs, but they mostly just keep the virus in check and when the drug is stopped the virus returns.

The approach taken by the team at MIT is new and innovative. It consists of two parts: one part identifies genetic material found only in cells infected with viruses and attaches to this genetic material. The second part signals the cell to kill itself, which prevents the virus from making more copies.

When the drug encounters healthy cells, it doesn't see the virus genetic material and leaves them alone. And the genetic material the drug is looking for occurs in most viruses, making it a wide-spectrum treatment.

So far, testing has been on human and mice cells in laboratory dishes. It's also been tested on mice infected with the flu and cured by the drug.

"So far, we have not found any side effects in cells or in mice," lead researcher Todd Rider said. "The mice appeared normal all the time they were alive, and their organs appeared normal when they were examined subsequently," he said.

But don't expect this drug to appear on shelves any time soon. Years of animal and human testing remain.

"We are hoping to license this technology to a pharmaceutical company that can carry it through larger animal trials and human clinical trials. Realistically, it will probably be at least a decade before you can buy DRACO at the drug store." Rider said.
_________________


Scarling / Snatch / Darkshines / Sindelle / Stinky Pinky etc

[Toft]

Holy crap, that's awesome!

[Monochrome]

Bot. Banned permanently.
_________________
When you do things right, people won't be sure that you've done anything at all.

[magbolt123]

Awesome, less people will die now.
_________________




Axedion~Assassin Cross
mega merchant~Creator
Astromodamus~LK

[EdgarGrimfang]

I'd for serious love to think this would get released to the public, but I also fear human nature will inevitably say "NOPE." and either A.) Sell it for infinity million dollars or B.) It'll never see the light of day/get stuck in clinical testing limbo.
_________________
"The World will know that free men stood against a tyrant. That few, stood against many, and before this battle was over, that even a God-King can bleed." -Leonidas to Xerxes

[Neo Genisis]

One step closer to curing that most deadly disease: aging. One step closer to immortality. One step closer...TO THE EDGE! AND I'M ABOUT TO BREAK! ~Everything you say to meeee...~

Ahem... anywho~

Good research. Sounds fun. Outstanding.

[Monochrome]

Here we stand, worlds apart.
So close to being alive for so long.
Some day...
Love will find you. Break those chains that bind you.
_________________
When you do things right, people won't be sure that you've done anything at all.

[Scarling]

Yeah, but unfortunately Edgar is probably right. Someone will buy the patent and bury it. Too many people would stand to lose way too much money from something like this.
_________________


Scarling / Snatch / Darkshines / Sindelle / Stinky Pinky etc

[Neo Genisis]

[qwennieB]

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have unveiled a new “superdrug,” which they say is capable of curing any virus from influenza to the common cold. The drug is long way from human trials but has been successful in killing viruses in mice by attacking genetic materials in viruses.

A new “superdrug” called DRACO has the potential to kill any and all viruses, including deadly hemorrhagic fevers, polio, all strains of influenza and the common cold. The drug targets the genetic information that viruses use to replicate.

[qwennieB]

When a healthy cell is infected with a virus, it produces double-stranded RNA that the virus uses to replicate and spread throughout the body, until the virus-infected cell dies. What inspired the MIT researchers was the fact that there are numerous broad-spectrum anti-bacterial medications that target bacterial infections, but no such drug exists for viruses. MIT creates Superdrug that might be in the position to get rid of all viruses. The whole procedure including the minutest details will soon be revealed through PLoS ONE. These viruses include rhinovirus, H1N1 influenza strains, adenoviruses, stomach viruses like reovirus, polio stain, dengue fever and a number of hemorrhagic arenavirus and bunyavirus. As mentioned by Dr. Todd, the aim is not to offset a handful disease but a vast array of them so that a more healthy living can be promoted. These diseases are very common in the third world countries and they have even led to death of victims eventually, thus, finding a treatment is very important.