Don't believe in magic? Well, soon you might with news that scientists are developing a cold sore remedy that could be part of a "magic bullet" weapon against a whole host of viral infections including Zika, Ebola, dengue and influenza.
Interestingly, the proposed virus and cold sore remedy is being developed with the assistance of IBM's Watson supercomputer, which has been instrumental in developing a chemical that has all the properties required to block even the most virulent of viruses.
According to IBM and Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN), which has been working in partnership on the project, the remedy works by attracting viruses and then electrostatically bonding to proteins on their surfaces, neutralising their pH levels and making it impossible for them to replicate.
In addition, the magic bullet, which is part of a field of medical science called macromolecular biology, then releases sugars which bind to healthy immune cells thereby preventing viruses from being able to infect them.
Given the recent Zika and Ebola crises, news of the breakthrough has come at a welcome time, with the need to achieve anti-viral breakthroughs more important than ever.
"We have created an anti-viral macromolecule that can tackle wily viruses by blocking the virus from infecting the cells, regardless of mutations," explained Dr. Yi Yan Yang, Group Leader at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology. "It is not toxic to healthy cells and is safe for use. This promising research advance represents years of hard work and collaboration with a global community of researchers."
It is thought that the chemical could have many applications, although the researchers anticipate that it will be used in soap and other similar health and hygiene products.
"My gut feeling is, something like a wipe, something like a hand cleaner is going to be relatively straightforward to move to market. It you market it as a true antiviral, I would imagine it would take 3, 4, 5 years maybe maximum," said Dr, Yi Yan Yang.
