A group of Chinese scientists have made significant progress in the research of anti-MERS drugs.

From 2013 to 2014, Jiang Shibo and his colleagues from the School of Basic Medicine of Fudan University designed and tested an anti-MERS polypeptide called HR2P. They found HR2P can effectively restrain infectivity of MERS-CoV. Jiang and his group then got a new polypeptide HR2P-M2 through researching and upgrading HR2P, which is much better in stability, solubility, antiviral activity and broad-spectrum activity.

They worked together with coronavirus experts to test HR2P-M2 on animals to see its treatment effects. It turned out that HR2P-M2 can protect animals from the attack of MERS-CoV.

Relative papers on the research have been accepted by an international infectious disease magazine, and will be published soon.

Jiang Shibo told journalists that based on the results of the research, this polypeptide can be used through nasal cavity as mist spray for emergency prevention. It can also be used on MERS-infected patients to control the infection source.