Researchers at the US’ Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that drugs used to treat Hepatitis C can be effective against a Covid-19 enzyme that helps the virus proliferates in the host’s cells.

The findings of the study were published in the science journal Structures and the official website of Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The study noted that the enzyme called Protease is used by Sars-Cov-2 to replicate itself after entering the host’s body. However, in order to become a functional protein, Protease needs to cut a long chain of compounds that the virus expresses.

To prevent the functioning of the main Protease, Hepatitis C drugs can be used.

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The study was a part of the research that is being conducted to find out which drugs can be repurposed to treat Covid-19 infected people.

For the study, researchers looked at several drug molecules, including three Hepatitis C drugs — telaprevir, narlaprevir, and boceprevir — which are Protease inhibitors. A technique called ‘in vitro enzyme kinetics’ was used to conduct the study.

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