Structure of the human rhinovirus capsid
Australian drug maker Biota Holdings Limited has come up with a drug for human rhinovirus, also known as common cold. Reuters

Researchers from Australian drug maker Biota Holdings Limited claim to have invented a drug for common cold.

Vapendavir, the drug to treat human rhinovirus (HRV), also known as common cold, not only cures cold but also reduces asthma and viral infection.

To prove the effectiveness of the drug, researchers conducted a study on 300 patients who were infected with human rhinovirus. Of them, 150 were given 400 mg Vapendavir and the remaining 150 received placebo twice daily for six days.

Researchers found that the patients who got Vapendavir recovered rapidly compared to the patients who received placebo. Patients who consumed placebo took 2.5 days to recover whereas patients who took Vapendavir recovered in 1.7 days.

Symptoms of HRV are sore throat, running nose, sneezing, coughing muscle ache and headache.

The infection is also a major cause of patients being admitted to hospitals with underlying respiratory conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis, where HRV can aggravate the disease. Estimates suggest that HRV is linked to about 70 per cent of all asthma exacerbations and more than 50 per cent of hospitalised cases.