Scientists in Prague have developed an extraordinarily potent antiviral MK 612

[Hip]

I read about this highly potent new Czech antiviral compound called MK 612 a few years ago, and was hoping that some progress would have been made by now, but I can find no more news on this subject.

The fear was that this drug would not be marketed, because it would compete with other antivirals from the same company. Looks like that has turned out to be the case.


Info:

Scientists at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in Prague have developed an extraordinarily potent anti-viral called MK 612, but its future is very uncertain due to rival antiviral products already marketed by the same license holder.

"We know that we have an extraordinary substance," said Zdenek Havlas, Director of the Institute. "The US company Gilead Sciences, which participated in this project with us, will buy the licence but will probably not produce it. This substance would compete with other antivirals of Gilead company."


Sources:

Powerful new anti-viral developed
Powerful antiviral drug developed by Czech scientists gets green light for further tests
The Czechs have a breakthrough drug, but so far no one wants (Google translated from Czech)
Patent application?

 

[Tia]

Interesting.. Wonder if this could be something for XMRV?

 

[garcia]

"The US company Gilead Sciences, which participated in this project with us, will buy the licence but will probably not produce it. This substance would compete with other antivirals of Gilead company."

Don't you just love capitalism?

 

[Enid]

Sounds stunning rather than so many for specific targets only. Thanks for posting Hip.

 

[ukxmrv]

Gilread already make Tenofovir. I guess when the different drugs were tested for anti-XMRV action, then Gilread would have been contacted?

 

[Hip]

Someone should contact a pharmaceutical company in Brazil and suggest they make this product.

I believe Brazilian law allows patent rights to be overturned, in the case of a public health emergency. Brazil overturned patents in the case of AIDS drugs (ref: 1).

Myalgic encephalomyelitis could well be construed as a health emergency.

 

[SilverbladeTE]

Don't you just love capitalism?

yeah, just as bad as Stalinism but has more of a "feel good" factor

 

[Riley]

It sounds like this drug is an antiviral not an antiretroviral, correct? I guess it doesn't change anything with regards to it's availability.

 

[Hip]

It sounds like this drug is an antiviral not an antiretroviral, correct? I guess it doesn't change anything with regards to it's availability.

I've no information on the full range of viruses it can treat, but smallpox, herpes (simplex?) and CMV were mentioned:

"MK 612 could be used to treat a wide variety of viral diseases – from smallpox and herpes to dangerous cytomegaloviral infections. The preparation has a very low toxicity in comparison to similar drugs and no serious side effects."

In any case, I don't think chronic fatigue syndrome will turn out to be single pathogen disease - even in the individual. That is to say, an individual may have XMRV weakening their immune system, but it is not until they also are infected with one or more of say: HHV-6, EBV, enterovirus, cytomegalovirus, etc, as co-infections, and perhaps bacterial co-infections too, that that individual descends into CFS.

So broad spectrum, potent antivirals like this MK 612 might be very valuable in CFS.

 

[Lala]

I checked the info about MK 612 and it seems it was really stopped. At least there are no news since 2007, when Gilread said they will not produce it despite extraordinary good effects on broad ranges of viruses. Unbelievable.

 

[Grape Funk]

I've no information on the full range of viruses it can treat, but smallpox, herpes (simplex?) and CMV were mentioned:

"MK 612 could be used to treat a wide variety of viral diseases – from smallpox and herpes to dangerous cytomegaloviral infections. The preparation has a very low toxicity in comparison to similar drugs and no serious side effects."

In any case, I don't think chronic fatigue syndrome will turn out to be single pathogen disease - even in the individual. That is to say, an individual may have XMRV weakening their immune system, but it is not until they also are infected with one or more of say: HHV-6, EBV, enterovirus, cytomegalovirus, etc, as co-infections, and perhaps bacterial co-infections too, that that individual descends into CFS.

So broad spectrum, potent antivirals like this MK 612 might be very valuable in CFS.

I don't think there has been a better synopsis than this thought right here.

 

[beike]

Here is a pdf that shows the molecular structure of the drug in one of the last slides: MK 612 PDF file It would be wonderful to have a potent anti-herpes virus / anti-cmv drug with fewer side effects.