The common cold is a condition that has no cure, besides a day off work and some bed-rest. However, British scientists believe they’ve found a potential drug treatment for a cold.
For most, the common cold is characterised by a stuffy head and snotty nose and passes in a few days. But for some with respiratory problems like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis, a cold can trigger fatal illness.
Until now, colds have been a conundrum that has stumped scientists for centuries. Firstly, the virus virtually impossible to vaccinate against as it’s made of up of more than 100 different strains. Secondly, the virus can mutate rapidly leading to drug resistance.
Because of this, researchers at Imperial College London ignored the disease itself and instead focused on the human protein that is “hijacked” by all strains of the virus.
Like all viruses, the common cold virus enters the human body and then hijacks particular cells to duplicate itself.
The scientists explain they’ve discovered that the compound IMP-1088 interferes with a protein in human cells to prevent a hijacking from taking place.
Most most a cold clears up in a few days, but for some with respiratory problems like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis, a cold can trigger fatal illness.
While this breakthrough has sent an excited buzz through the science and medicine field, it will still be a while before there is an available drug to cure the cold. The next step in the research will be tests on animals.
“Before going into people we have to do safety and toxicology studies to show that it’s safe to administer to people,” said researcher Professor Roberto Solari.
“But at the moment we’re reasonably optimistic; it doesn’t look like a toxic compound.”
Researchers hope to one day produce a drug that can be inhaled, and reach the lungs quicker, for people who have just started getting the sniffles.
