I like the sound of this!

The researchers also found that another class of drugs, bromodomain inhibitors, was even more potent. These were very effective in reducing the impact of inflammation on the heart and they are now working with a clinical biotechnology company to repurpose a drug for clinical trials in COVID -19 patients.

Bromodomain inhibitors that were used for this study may be effective for a broad spectrum of infectious diseases and their effects on the heart. Associate Professor Hudson and his team’s work will soon be published.

https://www.qimrberghofer.edu.au/our-research/covid-19-research/the-faces-behind-the-work/

Discovery of drugs for treating cardiac dysfunction

Associate Professor James Hudson

SARS-CoV-2 leads to cardiac injury and dysfunction in two-thirds of hospitalised patients and higher rates of mortality in people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Associate Professor James Hudson and his team have conducted studies into the effects of COVID-19 on the heart.

As many COVID-19 patients die of cardiac failure, the team has focused on cardio-protection to potentially improve survival and reduce the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The team’s research is using Associate Professor Hudson’s human cardiac organoid technology to identify inflammatory factors that are likely to play a critical role in cardiac dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. The team has generated close to 2000 human cardiac organoids for the experiments.

The research found two drugs could be repurposed for COVID-19 treatment. Baricitinib is already going into phase III clinical trials in the USA for COVID-19. The researchers also found that another class of drugs, bromodomain inhibitors, was even more potent. These were very effective in reducing the impact of inflammation on the heart and they are now working with a clinical biotechnology company to repurpose a drug for clinical trials in COVID -19 patients.

Bromodomain inhibitors that were used for this study may be effective for a broad spectrum of infectious diseases and their effects on the heart. Associate Professor Hudson and his team’s work will soon be published.