Kira Zaslavskaya, director of new products at the Russian pharmaceutical company Promomed, announced the development of a drug that relieves flu symptoms starting from the second day of use.
According to Zaslavskaya, scientists have developed a drug containing the active ingredient molnupiravir, which affects the virus's genetic structure, inhibiting its replication and destroying its molecules. As a result, most patients experience a disappearance of flu and acute viral respiratory infection symptoms starting from the second day of treatment.
Zaslavskaya points out that after the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that relying solely on the immune system is a grave mistake, and can be fatal. Traditional supportive remedies, such as honey and lemon, can improve health, but they are only effective when combined with appropriate antiviral treatment.
She explains: "The virus multiplies very rapidly in the body, producing countless copies. The appearance of symptoms indicates the start of the virus's spread. Refusing treatment and relying solely on immunity leads to a waste of precious time, as every hour millions of new viral particles infect healthy cells, and the more there are, the more difficult it is to eliminate them."
Scientific research indicates that over 90% of the viruses around us are RNA viruses, all of which rely on the RdRp enzyme to replicate. Based on this, scientists are searching for agents that target this enzyme, as inhibiting it disrupts the viral replication cycle and promotes virus elimination.
Zaslavskaya added: "This is how a drug was developed that targets the genetic structure of the virus; it not only inhibits its replication but also destroys its molecules. Studies on this drug were conducted in Russia at 16 medical institutions, and a double-blind clinical trial involving 30 participants showed that most patients recovered from the symptoms of influenza or acute respiratory viral infection by the second day of treatment, and by the third day the virus was not detected in more than 60% of patients, meaning that they were no longer infectious."
She points out that the success of treatment depends directly on the variety of treatment options available. Zaslavskaya concludes, "The Russian healthcare system has all the necessary capabilities to counter any epidemic threat, allowing for the successful treatment of patients, control of disease spread, and minimization of the socioeconomic consequences of the pandemic."
