Old drug may hold promise against hepatitis C

[Sukumar.N]

LONDON: Researchers from Stanford University say that an old drug may
be effective against hepatitis C. The research team say that their
hunch is based on two significant discoveries in fight against
hepatitis C:

One of their findings is that a protein called NS4B is actively
involved in binding some of the genetic material, or RNA, and thus
allows the virus to duplicate.

The researchers have also discovered that an obsolete anti-itching
drug clemizole hydrochloride could obstruct the protein, leading to a
tenfold decrease in virus replication.

"We're excited about this and we're actively moving forward toward
clinical trials," Nature magazine quoted Dr. Jeffrey Glenn, associate
professor of gastroenterology and hepatology, as saying.

With the help of coin-sized microfluidic chips that minimizes tabletop
biological experiments down to the tiny scale of nanoliters, the
research team was able to screen more than 1,200 drug candidates and
find clemizole in just two weeks.

Unlike other proteins, NS4B is difficult to purify in large quantities
while retaining the protein's natural properties and functionality.

Stephen Quake, PhD, professor of bioengineering and the other senior
author said that the paper marks the first time that microfluidic
technology has been used to discover a specific drug.

While researching for the specific drug to target the protein, co
author Doron Gerber, PhD, in bioengineering discovered18 drugs that
substantially reduced NS4B binding to its target RNA. However they
focused on clemizole because it is already known to be safe in
humans.

Glenn said, that clemizole could become an essential component in a
new class of multidrug treatments for hepatitis C. The study appears
in online edition of the journal Nature Biotechnology.

N.Sukumar
Research Analyst