Melbourne scientists find head lice treatment can kill COVID-19 cells

Coronavirus breakthrough as scientists discover a drug used to treat HEAD LICE can kill COVID-19 cells

  • Researchers at Monash University found Ivermectin can kills COVID-19 cells
  • The anti-parasite drug killed off the cells within two days and is widely available
  • Scientists are moving towards human trials but expect it to be at least a month
  • Ivermectin has also been found to work against HIV, influenza and Zika virus 

An anti-parasitic head lice drug available around the world has been found to kill COVID-19 in the lab within 48 hours.

A Monash University-led study has shown a single dose of the drug Ivermectin could stop the SARS-CoV-2 virus growing in cell culture.

‘We found that even a single dose could essentially remove all viral RNA (effectively removed all genetic material of the virus) by 48 hours and that even at 24 hours there was a really significant reduction in it,’ Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute’s Dr Kylie Wagstaff said on Friday.

Scientists from Monash University have found the anti-parasite medication Ivermectin can kill off coronavirus cells (pictured: hospital staff at testing clinic in Adelaide)

While it’s not known how Ivermectin works on the virus, the drug likely stops the virus dampening the host cells’ ability to clear it.

The next step is for scientists to determine the correct human dosage, to make sure the level used in vitro is safe for humans.

New South Wales: 2,493

Victoria: 1,115

Queensland: 900

Western Australia: 436

South Australia: 407

Australian Capital Territory: 93

Tasmania: 80

Northern Territory: 26

TOTAL CASES:  5,550

DEAD: 30

‘In times when we’re having a global pandemic and there isn’t an approved treatment, if we had a compound that was already available around the world then that might help people sooner,’ Dr Wagstaff said.

‘Realistically it’s going to be a while before a vaccine is broadly available.’

Scientists expect it could be at least a month before human trials.

Before Ivermectin can be used to combat coronavirus, funding is needed to get it to pre-clinical testing and clinical trials.

Ivermectin is an FDA-approved anti-parasitic drug also shown to be effective in vitro against viruses including HIV, dengue and influenza.

The study is the joint work of Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity.

The study findings have been published in Antiviral Research. 

Ivermectin (pictured) is used to treat head lice, scabies and river blindness and is widely available

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