A Taiwanese-Malaysian research team has developed a platform to identify drugs that might inhibit COVID-19 infections, which screens massive databanks of existing medicines.
The platform was developed to help scientists find drugs developed to treat other diseases that might prove efficacious against COVID-19, the developers yesterday told a news conference held by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in Taipei.
Chang Chia-ching (張家靖), a professor in the university’s Department of Biological Science and Technology, said that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19 infections, attaches itself to the ACE2 receptor on human cells.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
“Identifying ACE2 inhibitors rapidly is a top priority,” Chang said.
The researchers developed the platform to detect modulators that affect the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement technique.
The team thus far identified ramipril and perindopril, two medicines developed for treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as potentially interfering with the interaction of the virus and the cell, Chang said, adding that it also found another drug, enalapril, that might have a reverse effects.
The platform could also be used to search for medicines for treatment of other infectious diseases or even cancer, Chang said.
Kiew Lik-Voon, a professor in the University of Malaya’s Department of Pharmacology who is a member of the team, said that the medicines identified by the platform are preliminary results, adding that more work would have to be done to evaluate the drugs’ clinical effect.
Shieh Dar-bin (謝達斌), a professor in National Cheng Kung University’s (NCKU) Institute of Oral Medicine who is also a member of the team, praised the research as an example of successful cross-field collaboration.
The team comprised specialists from different academic areas, from electronic engineering to cell biology, he said.
NYCU president Lin Chi-hung (林奇宏) called the invention “inspiring,” saying that it was the result regular cooperation between Taiwanese and Malaysian researchers
University of Malaya vice president Noorsaadah Binti Abd Rahman attended the event via videoconferencing, saying that she was thankful for the participation of the Taiwanese researchers and hopes that more drugs would be identified.
The Taiwanese team members are from NCKU, NYCU, Chang Gung University, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Changhua University of Education.
Their study, titled “Development of flexible electrochemical impedance spectroscopy-based biosensing platform for rapid screening of SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors,” was published in last month’s issue of the Biosensors and Bioelectronics journal.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
RSS