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.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
RSS