Johnson & Johnson, a pharmaceutical giant, has unveiled what could be a significant development in the fight against dengue fever—a debilitating viral infection sometimes referred to as “breakbone fever” due to the severe pain it inflicts. This newfound hope stems from the preliminary results of a clinical trial showcasing a potential dengue prevention pill.
The trial, presented at the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene Annual Meeting in Chicago, demonstrated that an antiviral pill known as JNJ-1802, developed by Johnson & Johnson, exhibited protective properties against dengue. This experimental pill was administered to healthy volunteers over a 26-day period, with another group receiving a placebo. On day five, all participants were subjected to an injection containing a type of dengue virus—a method referred to as a challenge trial.
Notably, all five individuals in the placebo group showed evidence of a detectable virus during the monitoring period. In contrast, six out of ten participants who received a higher dosage of the drug displayed no signs of infection.
Source: Economictimes