A new experimental pill to fight the measles passed an animal trial.
The pill proved to effectively protect ferrets against a measles-like virus, which indicates the treatment could work in humans as well. Reuters reported.
The ferrets were infected with the canine distemper virus, which is related to measles. When treated with the drug, dubbed ERDRP-0519, the levels of the virus were significantly lowered and the subjects survived the normally fatal virus. The ferrets eventually developed an immunity to the distemper virus.
"The emergence of strong antiviral immunity in treated animals is particularly encouraging, since it suggests that the drug may not only save an infected individual from disease but contribute to closing measles immunity gaps in a population," Doctor Richard Plemper of Georgia State University said in a news release.
The drug works by preventing the virus from replicating itself. In tissue cultures the measles proved to be five times more sensitive to the virus than distemper, Reuters reported.
The drug will not have the opportunity to be tested in humans until it is first tested in monkeys. The researcher noted that vaccinations are still the best way to protect against the virus.
Before regular measles vaccinations started in the 1980s the virus killed about 2.6 million people globally every year.
"This drug, one that can be produced cost-effectively, stockpiled and administered by mouth, could boost eradication efforts by rapidly suppressing the spread of the virus during local outbreaks," the news release reported.
Many parents have chosen not to vaccinate their children because of rumors the shot was linked to autism. This rumor has now been disputed by studies but many parents are still hesitant to vaccinate their children, Reuters reported.
Plemper acknowledged in a phone interview with reporters that the new pill could discourage even more people from vaccinating their children.
