Dr Ewelina Węglarz-Tomczak, Faculty of Chemistry of the Wrocław University of Science and Technology is conducting research at the Dutch University of Amsterdam that may help in the development of a drug for COVID-19. The first results have just been published in the Scientific Report.
During her postdoctoral internship in the Netherlands, Dr Ewelina Węglarz-Tomczak, in cooperation with scientists from various fields, initiated research into finding molecules that could serve as potential virus inhibitors. Preliminary results of the work showed that ebselen could be such a compound.
– It can inhibit PLpro protease activity rapidly and irreversibly. This is already effective at a very low dose, at the micromolar level. Ebselen shows negligible toxicity in cells at these levels and therefore should be safe to use – says the chemist.
