Edinburgh Uni researchers focus on drug repurposing for COVID-19

Up to 150 researchers at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Inflammation Research are being re-deployed to work on a project that aims to repurpose existing and experimental medicines for COVID-19.

The team believes that new therapies could be discovered and implemented before a vaccine becomes widely available, by testing medicines for other conditions already in use or in trials.

The new project – STOPCOVID – will focus on the inflammatory pathways that lead directly to lung injury, which is associated with the most severe aspects of COVID-19.

Researchers will evaluate whether medicines can block inflammation in the early stages of the disease to change the course of infection and prevent the need of a ventilator.

The team is working with pharmaceutical companies from across the world and has already identified key drugs and mechanisms that are currently in development or are being used for other diseases.

"Covid-19 is the biggest global challenge of a generation. By rapidly testing therapies that stop the inflammatory cascade associated with the most severe aspect of the disease – leading ultimately to respiratory failure – we can urgently discover ways to prevent the need for a ventilator. We must unite together, across sectors, across disciplines, across continents to tackle the devastating effects of this virus as fast as possible," noted Professor Kev Dhaliwal, STOPCOVID lead and consultant in Respiratory Medicine at the University of Edinburgh.

STOPCOVID has already secured £2 million funding from medical research charity LifeArc, while investment firm Baillie Gifford has also agreed to provide funding for the project.

The team is hoping to raise a total of £15 million from the private sector, and says discussions with other potential partners are ongoing.
 

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