August 12, 2011

DRACO: A Broad-Spectrum Therapy Against Multiple Viruses

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory have developed and demonstrated a novel broad-spectrum antiviral approach, called DRACO—which stands for double-stranded RNA activated caspase oligomerizer—that may prove to be effective against virtually all viruses, including HIV and hepatitis, according to a report published online by PLoS One. DRACOs selectively induce apoptosis, or cell suicide, in cells containing any viral double-stranded RNA, rapidly killing infected cells without harming uninfected cells.

Viruses pose serious health threats worldwide. For viruses such as HIV or hepatitis, emerging viruses such as avian or swine influenza, and highly lethal viruses such as Ebola or smallpox that might be used in bioterrorist attacks, relatively few therapeutics exist. Most medications that do exist are highly specific for one virus, are ineffective against virus strains that become resistant to them, or are associated with side effects.

According to the PLoS One report, authored by Todd Rider, PhD, and his colleagues, DRACOs were shown to be effective against all 15 viruses that the team has so far tested in cells, including cold viruses (rhinoviruses), H1N1 influenza strains, adenoviruses, a stomach virus (reovirus), a polio virus, dengue fever virus, and several members of hemorrhagic fever virus families. DRACOs were also demonstrated to be nontoxic in 11 different cell types representing various species, notably humans, monkeys and mice, and organ types (for example, heart, lung, liver and kidney).

Experiments also demonstrated that one DRACO prevented the deaths of mice infected with a lethal dose of H1N1 influenza. Currently, the team is testing additional viruses in mice and beginning to get promising results with those as well. 

No data from research involving HIV or hepatitis have yet been reported by the scientists and additional testing against other viruses is needed. Yet, Rider and his colleagues suggest that DRACOs have the potential to revolutionize the treatment and prevention of virtually all viral diseases. They also hope that the DRACOs' broad-spectrum activity will render them useful against new or mutated viruses, such as the 2003 SARS outbreak.

Search: DRACO, MIT, Lincoln Laboratory, Rider, antiviral, HIV, hepatitis, HCV, Ebola, H1N1, SARS

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Previous Comments:

Eric Chikukwa, Harare, 2012-02-24 03:13:19
Anything that brings hope to people affected by hepatitis and HIV among other viruses is welcome. I hope DRACO will do just that.

Alex Puebla, Puebla, 2011-12-21 14:36:43
Last Year Influenza A H1N1 killed 300 people only in México. DRACO could have save them.

Steven Roth, Tempe, 2011-11-23 03:02:28
Also research a compound called lj001 discovered at UCLA by Researcher Benhur Lee that is supposed to be another amazing anti-viral compund.

MAT STRAZZULA, BOSTON, 2011-10-19 19:29:58
ANYBODY DIE ING OF A VIRAL INFECTION SHOULD GET A CHANCE TO TRY THIS DRUG. IT IS IMMORAL TO NOT GIVE POPLE A SHOT... THERE R DYING PEOPLE WHO WOULD LINE UP TO TRY THIS....

Benny, Ghana, 2011-08-25 08:30:50
With the mention of these findings should HIV/HBV/HCB patience have hope that they may be cured

jon, cape town, 2011-08-18 13:58:01
i am certain that a simple cure against hiv was known in the early 90's. Sadly many scientists are narrow minded people who deliberately send each other wrong reagents so as to not allow the other scientist to replicate data, and drug companies earn massive taxes for governments. Its kind of like, saying, lets make all gas filling stations obsolete, and just make use of fuel cell energised motor cars or electric cars. There is far too much finance invested for governments to allow such progress

John, Seattle, 2011-08-15 12:12:15
I wonder how this would affect someone who has a large amount of viral reservoirs in their body. For example, if your liver has a large percentage of cells infected with hepatitis and/or HIV, and then this drug induces cell death in the infected cells, couldn't this potentially lead to organ failure?

John, , 2011-08-15 01:55:03
It is true that the original article cited did not discuss the potential against HIV. But DRACO should work against dsDNA viruses as well. Todd Rider did include at least two types of double stranded DNA viruses in his tests, murine adenovirus and adenovirus type 5. And DRACO did work against these viruses as well.

James, Los Angeles, 2011-08-12 18:18:42
This story would do well to mention that the article cited does not discuss any testing of the prospective treatment against hepatitis or HIV, and doesn't actually discuss any potential use against HIV at all.

JohnHunt, , 2011-08-12 16:24:18
Yeah. Now just don't go developing such a "medication" for double-stranded DNA!

Stephen, Sydney, 2011-08-12 13:26:08
Are you sure DRACO will work against the HIV and HBV virus? Do these virus produce dsRNA?