THEY GATHER IN GROUPS OVER THE
UPCOMING LABOR DAY WEEKEND. SO
IN THE MEDICAL WATCH A NEW
WEAPON IN THE QUEST TO GET
AHEAD IN THE BATTLE AGAINST
COVID-19 THERE'S A LOCAL
EFFORT TO IDENTIFY MEDICATION
WITH PROMISE FOR TREATMENT.
WGN MEDICAL REPORTER DINA
BAIR HAS MORE.
ONE DRUG WAS IDENTIFIED BY
RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF CHICAGO. BUT THEY'RE NOT
STOPPING THERE WITH HELP FROM
SCIENTISTS AT ARGONNE NATIONAL
LABORATORY THEY'RE RAPIDLY
COMBING THROUGH ALL
MEDICATIONS THAT COULD HAVE
POWER OVER SARS COVID 2 AND
NOW THEY'RE TURNING TO DRUG
COMPANIES TO LAUNCH CLINICAL
TRIALS WITH COVID-19 PATIENTS.
BUT I REMEMBER THINKING IN
FEBRUARY THESE WAS GOING TO BE
A MAJOR PROBLEM. MANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES I THINK FROM THE
SAME WAY AND MANY OF US ALL
OVER THE WORLD STARTED WELL.
DO WHATEVER WE COULD TO TRY
WHILE UNDERSTAND THE DISEASE
FAST FORWARD TO SEPTEMBER AND
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
MOLECULAR ENGINEER WANDA PABLO
WENT ONE STEP FURTHER
UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING
KNOWLEDGE TO IDENTIFY A VIABLE
MEDICATION MAYBE HE'S
REASSURING.
WE REALIZE
YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE ALL
THE KNOWLEDGE ALL OF THESE
RESOURCES AND THEY'RE NOT
SITTING IDLE. YOU TRY TO DO
SOMETHING. TO HELP THE.
CONTROL OF THE WHEEL OF THE
DISEASE LOOKING AT EARLIER
STUDIES IN CHINA, THE FIRST
CANDIDATE WAS TESTED ABSALOM A
DRUG ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED TO
TREAT BIPOLAR DISORDER AND
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CUP
FINALS.
WE BIPOLAR DISORDER USING A
ABSENT.
HE SAID HE HAS BEEN SHOWN
TO BE SAFE.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO
COVID-19 IT TARGETED BOTH
VIRUS REPLICATION AND BODY
REACTION WE DID NOT EXPECT
THIS TO HAPPEN.
BUT EFFECTIVE MECHANISM. A
PORTION BY WHICH THE WALK. MY
INTEREST YOU THE FUNCTION OF
THE END ZONE.
TARGETING ENZYMES AND
PROTEINS IN THE VIRUS IS THE
KEY TO UNLOCK A POSSIBLE CURE
AND YOU CAN THINK THE SHAPE OF
THE PROTEIN IS BEING THE LAW
AND THE DRUG THAT WE'RE TRYING
TO HOOK UP TO THAT PROTEINS TO
KEEP. SO BUT USING THE X-RAY
MICROSCOPE THE DANCE FLOOR
TAUNTS FORCED TO LOOK AT THE
SHAPE THAT WAS HURTING THAT
GIVES US A LOT OF INSIDE OUT
AND DECIDED HE DIDN'T FIT INTO
THAT WALK ENTER THIS MASSIVE
MICROSCOPE.
THE OVERHEAD VIEW SHOWS A
TOOL THAT CAN FIT CHICAGO'S
WRIGLEY FIELD INSIDE IT
SCIENTIST AT ARGONNE NATIONAL
LABORATORY USE THE ADVANCED
PHOTON SOURCE TO LOOK FOR WAY
TO PENETRATE AND DESTROY VIRUS
STRUCTURE. THEY INSPECTED
BILLIONS OF COMPOUNDS AND WE
CAN TAKE BASICALLY EVERY DROP
IT'S EVER BEEN DEVELOPED DO
THAT SCREENING IN THE
COMPUTER.
AND TRYING TO FIRST PASS TO
IDENTIFY WHICH ONES MIGHT
ACTUALLY HAVE A BENEFICIAL
EFFECT. AFTER 2 MONTHS RUNNING
COMPUTATIONAL STUDIES ARE GONE
EXPERTS WHITTLED DOWN
POTENTIAL COVID DRUG
CANDIDATES TO 5 AND THERE IS
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
NEVER THE FACE OF AN EPIDEMIC
LIKE THIS HAS THE SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITY AND THE
PHARMACEUTICAL COMMUNITY
REACTED SO QUICKLY AND SO
EFFECTIVELY BEING ABLE TO
CREATE OF WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE
TREATMENTS IN JUST A FEW SO UH
I JUST HOPE PEOPLE CAN HOLD ON
A WHILE LONGER, BUT THERE IS
LIGHT AT THE TIME.
HARD ON SCIENTISTS TO NOT
ONLY WORKING ON IDENTIFYING
DRUGS THEY'RE RESEARCHING
ALTERNATE ANTIVIRAL ANTIBODIES
