ATLANTA, Dec 6: The researchers at the Georgia State University have claimed to have successfully repurposed a drug for coronavirus. They said antiviral drug Molnupiravir suppresses transmission of covid completely within 24 hours. It prevents the virus from multiplying and therefore prevents it from preading to other parts of the body as also to others.

Dr Richard Plemper, leader of the study team, told a channel, “This is the first demonstration of an orally available drug to rapidly block SARS-CoV-2 transmission." He said the drug rapidly shuts down the replication of the virus in the body. The patient is no longer contagious.

The researchers also said the drug can also inhibit covid patients from getting severely ill.

They said, however, the drug is no substitute for a vaccine, it could be very effective in slowing down the spread of the virus until a vaccine is widely distributed next year.

The advanced Phase 3 clinical trial of the medicine is going on. Ridgeback Biotherapeutics has licensed the medicine and is developing it in collaboration with Merck.

It’s unclear when the drug might be available. May be another six months. It is an oral pill to be taken twice a day for 5 days.