Two old medicines with anti-SARS virus function have been discovered in Taiwan, according to a source from the International SARS Epidemic Prevention Symposium held in Taipei on October 30.

In external tests, the two medicines, Promazine (or antipsychotic drug) and Niclosine (or anti-tapeworm drug) can kill SARS virus within one day. According to Chien Tu-hsien, deputy head of the biotech medicine research group with Taiwan "National Health Institute", researchers have been trying to find a remedy for SARS from existing medicines since the outbreak of the SARS epidemic disease. They selected over 40 medicines out of 700-odd existing drugs for external test and finally discovered Promazine and Niclosine to be most effective. At first, researchers made experiments with the coronavirus of pigs and then that of human beings and found these two medicines, in a certain concentration, can both prevent the reproduction of SARS virus within one day, thus making the leucocyte in the body kill the virus. Since these two medicines have both been used for several decades, they are of high safety and can be put into use immediately without conducting toxicity test of a new medicine whose development would take five to 10 years.

Application for patent for this discovery has been filed to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

(People's Daily   November 1, 2003)