New Nasal Spray Prevents Covid Infection in Ferrets, Study Finds (nytimes.com) 90
The New York Times reports:
A nasal spray that blocks the absorption of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has completely protected ferrets it was tested on, according to a small study released on Thursday by an international team of scientists. The study, which was limited to animals and has not yet been peer-reviewed, was assessed by several health experts at the request of The New York Times.
If the spray, which the scientists described as nontoxic and stable, is proved to work in humans, it could provide a new way of fighting the pandemic. A daily spritz up the nose would act like a vaccine.
Snard (Slashdot reader #61,584) shared Columbia's announcement: The compound in the spray — a lipopeptide developed by Anne Moscona, MD, and Matteo Porotto, PhD, professors in the Department of Pediatrics and directors of the Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction — is designed to prevent the new coronavirus from entering host cells. The antiviral lipopeptide is inexpensive to produce, has a long shelf life, and does not require refrigeration. These features make it stand out from other antiviral approaches under development, including monoclonal antibodies. The new nasal lipopeptide could be ideal for halting the spread of COVID in the United States and globally; the transportable and stable compound could be especially key in rural, low-income, and hard-to-reach populations.
A preprint of the study appeared in bioRxiv on November 5; a paper describing a first generation of the compound and its effect in a 3D model of the human lung first appeared in the journal mBio on October 20. In this human lung model, the compound was able to extinguish an initial infection, prevent spread of the virus within the lung, and was not at all toxic to the airway cells.
Ferrets are often used in studies of respiratory diseases because the lungs of these animals and humans are similar... The antiviral is easily administered and, based on the scientists' experience with other respiratory viruses, protection would be immediate and last for at least 24 hours.
The scientists hope to rapidly advance the preventative approach to human trials with the goal of containing transmission during this pandemic.
If the spray, which the scientists described as nontoxic and stable, is proved to work in humans, it could provide a new way of fighting the pandemic. A daily spritz up the nose would act like a vaccine.
Snard (Slashdot reader #61,584) shared Columbia's announcement: The compound in the spray — a lipopeptide developed by Anne Moscona, MD, and Matteo Porotto, PhD, professors in the Department of Pediatrics and directors of the Center for Host-Pathogen Interaction — is designed to prevent the new coronavirus from entering host cells. The antiviral lipopeptide is inexpensive to produce, has a long shelf life, and does not require refrigeration. These features make it stand out from other antiviral approaches under development, including monoclonal antibodies. The new nasal lipopeptide could be ideal for halting the spread of COVID in the United States and globally; the transportable and stable compound could be especially key in rural, low-income, and hard-to-reach populations.
A preprint of the study appeared in bioRxiv on November 5; a paper describing a first generation of the compound and its effect in a 3D model of the human lung first appeared in the journal mBio on October 20. In this human lung model, the compound was able to extinguish an initial infection, prevent spread of the virus within the lung, and was not at all toxic to the airway cells.
Ferrets are often used in studies of respiratory diseases because the lungs of these animals and humans are similar... The antiviral is easily administered and, based on the scientists' experience with other respiratory viruses, protection would be immediate and last for at least 24 hours.
The scientists hope to rapidly advance the preventative approach to human trials with the goal of containing transmission during this pandemic.
This could be what saves the cruise industry (Score:3)
If you mandated passengers take this, it could provide a lot of confidence from both passengers, and ports that cruise ships were safe to operate again...
Re:This could be what saves the cruise industry (Score:4, Insightful)
"If you mandated passengers take this"
Nobody _wants_ to save the cruise industry.
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He meant the passengers.
Gotta care for the mentally disabled too, you know! :)
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Nobody _wants_ to save the cruise industry.
They pollute heavily, the ships are registered in foreign ports, and they primarily hire non-US crews.
The cruise industry going belly up would absolutely be an epic win. My apologies to the folks who find it entertaining to be trapped in a floating hotel for a week.
There is huge value in a moving hotel. (Score:1, Troll)
They pollute heavily
Not true any more (though it was for sure true for a time).
the ships are registered in foreign ports
Still largely true but it seems rather elitist of you to want to prevent poor countries from getting money.
My apologies to the folks who find it entertaining to be trapped in a floating hotel for a week.
You haven not been in modern cruise ships I see, it's more like a floating Vegas than a floating hotel. They have a ton of different activities, and depending on the cruise ship a huge ran
Re: There is huge value in a moving hotel. (Score:3)
Its literally the least expensive vacation you can do, especially if you take advantage of the first 2 weeks in December, January, February, and first week or two in march. I have managed to get deals for 6 day cruises for super cheap for a family of four. It has taken me to many islands in the Caribbean. I was in the Navy for 6 years, never thought I would want to ever set foot an another ship. But the water in the Caribbean is some of the bluest water I have seen almost anywhere I the world.
What I dont r
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Its literally the least expensive vacation you can do
Cheaper than backpacking in a national forest?
Pot smokers are out of luck. It's still federally banned so still not allowed onboard.
When you are on a foreign-flagged ship in international waters, American federal law should not be relevant.
Comparable cost. (Score:1)
Cheaper than backpacking in a national forest?
Compatible, yes. Considering how much decent backpacking gear and food costs, and the cost of getting to that forest for most people. Cruises can be just a few hundred $, if you live near a port you can find even cheaper last minute deals. 90% of people would enjoy the cruise a lot more as well.
When you are on a foreign-flagged ship in international waters, American federal law should not be relevant.
A huge reason why they don't allow pot even in internationa
Re: There is huge value in a moving hotel. (Score:2)
Well they have to board in the US, and port authority is a federal jurisdiction. Another issue is they often are in port in other countries. So if you were to do something illegal in that port (like smoke pot) they would be required to turn you over to the local authorities. There was an article about just that happening on a Norwegian cruiseline ship last year. But not only do they have to worry about you bringing it aboard but taking it off right? You technically become guilty of smuggling if you re-ente
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What I dont recommend is getting on an older smaller ship since the amenities are rather limited. The cruise ships I liked the best were the Oasis class ones.
I generally agree here, for most destinations the larger newer ships have way more amenities and are also lots cleaner for the world around them... I have been on Oasis class ships specifically myself and really liked them.
I would say for Alaska specifically, sometimes a very small ship is better (few hundred people or less, instead of thousands) as t
Re: This could be what saves the cruise industry (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: This could be what saves the cruise industry (Score:3)
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after people can once again be able to provide housing and food for themselves.
Does that include the 300000 crew members on cruiseships worldwide? Or the millions employed by the industry on the whole?
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If you mandated passengers take this, it could provide a lot of confidence from both passengers, and ports that cruise ships were safe to operate again...
To my knowledge, ferrets don't take many cruises. Then again, neither do I so maybe I'm wrong ...
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Where would cruise ship entertainment be without the man who puts ferrets down his trousers?
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Screw the cruise industry, and the cinemas too. They’re just dead wood that needed to be cleared.
Times change. No one mourns for the loss of the discos and Blockbuster Video stores, the same will it be for cruise lines and cinemas.
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No one mourns for the loss of the discos and Blockbuster Video stores
Nobody misses Blockbuster, but there are people out there who miss disco. Not many, but there really are some people who are nostalgic about the 70s.
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And some of us have the clothes to prove it ;-}
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There's an Icelandic company that already has such a prophylactic spray on the market [grapevine.is]. It's based around neem oil and St. John's wort oil, both of which have (contact) antiviral properties.
Basically, it's like hand sanitizer for your nose and throat that persists for a couple hours. Our main national hospital has been testing it since April, and the results have been promising thusfar.
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Re: This could be what saves the cruise industry (Score:2)
Thusfar sounds really Icelandic.
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I think a bigger "save" for this could be the restaurant industry.
We've made a point of regulary getting takeout from all our usual haunts - and perhaps everyone else is doing that as well. But when I walk in to pick up our meals, most of those restaurants seem pretty quiet.
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I've been doing the take out thing as well; not looking forward to adding up the total for this year, but I can afford it better than the staff can afford getting laid off...
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Ferret fur coats?
Great (Score:3)
I am sure that people who farm ferrets, or those that have them as pets, will be happy.
I remember an old radio comedy show that had a thing about ferrets:
I'm sorry, I'll read that again.
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And the people who farm minks (also mustelids) in Denmark will be very unhappy that this research did not happen sooner.
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I doubt that applying nasal spray to millions of mink or ferrets would be very doable. They're viscous and have nasty pointed teeth.
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They're viscous and have nasty pointed teeth.
I thought that was only rabbits in Arthurian England?
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While the rabbits are worse, (ever see the picture of President Carter getting attacked and fending one off?) the mink are bad enough.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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Although it appears that the ferrets also have a great resistance to flow...
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First you have to shake the weasel.
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Amazing... (Score:5, Insightful)
Well- that's quite an accomplishment.
Though I'm more impressed that they taught ferrets how to *use* nasal spray.
We can't even get humans to wear masks....
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The trick is that you can imprison and force them.
Basically "We can cure Covid! In China!"
Though frankly, while yes, people are stupid, I DO see the majority to wear masks. So... I love bashing humans, but if this works, this is gonna work!
Frank Burns (Score:3)
is pleased.
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Only his face is...
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Actually, this could be quite useful. Not this year, perhaps, but in a couple of years. It might help avoid COVID becoming an endemic disease throughout the world. (It's not yet clear how permanent a COVID vaccine can be, or even how effective. The first versions will probably only reduce symptoms...and people can catch COVID more than once...though how frequently that happens is quite uncertain.)
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>could...perhaps....might...not clear...probably...uncertain
Yes, exactly, we need more science before we start making declarations.
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The first versions will probably only reduce symptoms.
What? Why do you even think that?
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Because that's what several prominent specialist in the field have said. It's not what they're hoping for, but it's what the expect.
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"Bro, do you even science?"
1. This is science. Not math. We know that without defining axioms, there is no such thing as "proof". So we think in terms of statistically reliable correlation between predictions of our hypothesis and our measured observations, and reliable anti-correlation for anything else. The best we can do, is "extremely likely". Because the sole and only point of all this is *usefulness*. Not "OMG The Truth(TM)".
2. One study is already a strong pointer for it more likely being the case th
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This is incomplete science. I'm asking to skip the previews. Yes, could be promising, could be a fluke, could be they missed something. So let science take it course and make announcements when the science is more settled.
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This is incomplete science. I'm asking to skip the previews. Yes, could be promising, could be a fluke, could be they missed something. So let science take it course and make announcements when the science is more settled.
Most science we read about is incomplete, and you are always free to skip as much as you like. Stories about potential medical therapies are often incomplete. Stories about future space travel vehicles are incomplete. Stories about the structure of matter and the composition of the universe are incomplete. Stories about nuclear fusion and advanced superconductors are incomplete. Still, a lot of people are interested to know what scientists are working on, not just what succeeds.
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We are in the middle of a pandemic which is a time when we need to more careful with the information that we release. We've heard of a couple of potential treatments or cures that have turned out to be not so great, like hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir. Let's make sure we do our best to 'do no harm' before we start touting unproven, untested, science.
But hey, ya know, go ahead and take off your mask 'cause there is a preventative nasal spray right around the corner. You can prevent covid by using mouth
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We are in the middle of a pandemic which is a time when we need to more careful with the information that we release. We've heard of a couple of potential treatments or cures that have turned out to be not so great, like hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir. Let's make sure we do our best to 'do no harm' before we start touting unproven, untested, science.
But hey, ya know, go ahead and take off your mask 'cause there is a preventative nasal spray right around the corner. You can prevent covid by using mouth wash and injecting bleach - I know its true, I read it on the internet.
I hear where you are coming from. There will likely never be a cure for stupid, and the internet - once touted as a way to bring people knowledge - has sadly been subverted by various agendas to further the purpose of making people more stupid, and that is unfortunate.
That said, I don't think the solution is to dumb it down even further so it is no longer of use to people who are not stupid. That would be like conceding. People with half a brain know that this is very preliminary science. People with le
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I'm not saying dumb it down, I'm saying hold back until there is enough science and then lay it on me. Other than 'hope' and 'give me money' I don't know why this needed to be released early. There are real arguments to be made when it comes to not releasing biology science before review. Its a mixed bag, our current publishing system leaves a lot to be desired but I think we need some kind of standards and not a free for all.
https://www.enago.com/academy/... [enago.com]
That's something that hasn't been proposed before. (Score:1)
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Don't just think of US corporate interests.
I highly doubt most of the world will give a fuck. E.g. if necessary, China and the like will simply mandate it for the entire population, and be done with it.
Russia will laugh all the way to mass-production and a big finger to the US.
The EU will probably pay some kind of lip service by paying the inventors a nice stack of money, if they agree, or just make it themselves if they don't, and be done with it.
And Biden's not the type to lead walking over dead bodies fo
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IIUC, it's not exactly an antiviral so much as something to prevent initial infection. It wouldn't be perfect, but whenever the R factor started climbing, people could be instructed to use it and shove it back down to near zero.
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"those treated with SARS-CoV-2 HRC lipopeptide showed no detectable evidence of viral spread."
Copper (Score:1)
How to get notified of peer review? (Score:3)
Does anyone in the scientific community know, what I must do, to automatically get notified, whenever somebody peer-reviews this?
I'm assuming it would appear on that biorxiv page. So all I need is to add my e-mail address or something to an event listener.
We're sitting on insane amounts of computing power here. I'm sure there must be a way to add a URI to a list that is triggered when certain events like added peer reviews happen ...
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Peer review isn't an isolated event. It happens in the context of journal publication, so the event you want to watch for is the paper being published (as opposed to released in pre-print form, which is what biorxiv is about). The straightforward way to be notified would be to set up an alert on Google Scholar [google.com] with a search query which includes the key terms in the title and a distinctive surname from among the authors.
How surprising (Score:1)
A drug company has figured out a way to turn COVID-19 into a steady income stream. You can write off any hope for a vaccine now, nobody wants to kill their cash cow, the other drug companies will pivot to this model now.
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Nasal only? (Score:2)
That sounds just great, until... (Score:1)
Can I take a hard pass on that?
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Seriously? It's a completely class of drug with a completely different active ingredient. What on earth makes you think it will cause the same side-effects?
Re: That sounds just great, until... (Score:3)
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What about eye transmission? (Score:2)
That was and is still a vector into the bloodstream.
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Well, I dunno... how about eye drops, maybe?
Unless handshakes are replaced with eye rubs (Score:2)
That could be a concern if we all start rubbing our eyes against each other, in a bizarre twist on the handshake concept.
Assuming that doesn't happen, it's extremely unlikely that you will catch covid through your eyes from someone who doesn't have covid. Somebody who doesn't have covid because they didn't catch it from breathing it in.
The number of people who will have covid two weeks from now can be computed as the number who have it today X the rate of transmission. Suppose that today 1,000 people in a p
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Along these lines, there's a lot of what ifs..
Eyes, mouth, is fomite transmission a concern? (Or can we at least stop sanitizing everything?)
I guess it helps, but kinda sound like standing in a stream as an attempt to dam it.
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Is there any evidence that this is a real problem in the case of SARS-Cov2?
AFAIK, there's still a lot of uncertainty about real life transmission. To me it looks like everything is pointing more and more towards nasal transmission only.
It'll take time, try hypertonic irrigation instead (Score:3, Interesting)
Nice findings, but it'll take time to work out. It's also going to be patent protected, and the licensing process may add additional time. Time=Lives Lost.
In the meantime, this is proven, published research about a simple home procedure known to inhibit the coronavirus family: "Hypertonic saline nasal irrigation and gargling should be considered as a treatment option for COVID-19" [nih.gov] . i.e. Irrigate your nose, and gargle, with boiled (and cooled), very-salty water.
Here's how you do the procedure:
http://www.elvisstudy.com/nasa... [elvisstudy.com]
weasels (Score:4, Interesting)
Ferrets are weasel-like and so are minks. Could this save the danish mink industry?
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weasel-like
Could this save the Democrat party?
Re: weasels (Score:2)
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Weasel are all natural. No petrochemicals from fracking. 17 million weasels could have covid. Could someone do the math for 6 ft space of 17million weasels. How much acreage or hectareage is that?
old news (Score:2)
Wait, I think I just figured out why the election went the way it did.
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You forgot the bright lights. It won't work without the light.
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Not a ferret owner, but... (Score:1)
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Don't you mean pick nose AND bite fingernails.
Miscommunication. (Score:2)
The politicians voted funding to protect *weasels* from COVID.
Save the Minks! (Score:2)
never tease a weasel (Score:2)
Marketing opportunity! (Score:1)
So it works, and it lasts 24 hours, thus has to be readministered frequently? I assume we'll be trading in the KN95s for Bane masks, then?