Cure for the Common Cold May Finally Be Upon Us

Researchers have found a new development that means the common cold -- and numerous other viruses -- could be eliminated.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on November 04 2010

It’s the season when most of us have the sniffles. But what if we could say sayonara to the common cold for good?

In a new breakthrough, scientists have found that the immune system is actually capable of destroying the common cold virus, even after it has infected a human cell, which was previously believed to be impossible.

The finding means that researchers can work to develop a new class of antiviral drugs that will help the cell to fight off the virus. Although research is just beginning, clinical trials could be underway within two to five years.

And the development could create solutions for more than the simple sniffles – other diseases, like the often deadly rotavirus, could also be cured by this new approach to attacking viruses.

Researchers believe that the protein TRIM21 could be used in a nasal spray to fight many types of viruses.

“We can think of administering these drugs as nasal sprays and inhalers rather than taking pills… It could lead to an effective treatment for the common cold,” lead researcher Leo James told The Independent. “The beauty of this system is that you give the virus no chance to make its own proteins to fight back. It is a way for the cell to get rid of the virus and stay alive itself.”

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing, Science,

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