Scientists find virus blocker

An international team of scientists announces it has found a compound, called K22, that appears to block the virus’s ability to spread in humans.  K22, they say, acts at an early stage of the infection, preventing the virus from taking over cells in the human respiratory tract.  While noting that this discovery is only the first step toward getting an approved treatment drug, the researchers say:

Importantly, K22 inhibits a broad range of coronaviruses, including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS–CoV)…. We expect this mode of action to serve as a paradigm for the development of potent antiviral drugs to combat many animal and human virus infections.