OSU discovery of hemp against COVID-19 progresses
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, February 1st, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
CORVALLIS – The Oregon State University scientist who led the groundbreaking discovery that a pair of hemp compounds can block the coronavirus from entering human cells thinks that pre-clinical trials will occur within a few months. Pre-clinical research involves using cell cultures or animal models to test the safety and efficacy of a new drug candidate.
Researcher Richard van Breemen said the trials are required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before clinical testing on humans can begin.
“We need pre-clinical trials to prove the efficacy of what we discovered, and I think that will happen very soon, in the next few months,” the researcher with OSU’s Global Hemp Innovation Center said.
Three weeks ago, van Breemen, along with his colleague Ruth Muchiri and five collaborators from Oregon Health & Science University published a study in the Journal of Natural Products that showed hemp compounds identified by a chemical screening technique invented at OSU display the ability to prevent infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. The study continues to generate significant attention from around the globe. Several companies have expressed interest in collaborating with OSU for further work on the hemp compounds, according to van Breemen.
The compounds are identified as CBGA and CBDA, and the spike protein is the same drug target used in COVID-19 and antibody therapy.
“These cannabinoid acids are abundant in hemp and in many hemp extracts,” van Breemen said. “The are not controlled substances like THC and have a good safety profile in humans.” The researcher said that natural products are the source of about half of all prescription medicines in use today as well as the source or inspiration for about two thirds of all current cancer drugs.
