Drug combination knocks out colds

U.Va. scientists have developed a new combination drug therapy that delivers a one-two punch to knock out colds. In study results reported in the online issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, a new combination of drugs stopped patients’ viral infection and reduced symptoms by as much as 73 percent with no serious side effects.

The study’s lead author is Dr. Jack M. Gwaltney Jr., who chairs the Division of Epidemiology and Virology in the Department of Internal Medicine. Co-investigators were U.Va. colleagues Dr. J. Owen Hendley and Dr. Birgit Winther.

One ingredient of the treatment is the antiviral drug interferon, which attacks the virus infection itself and makes cells resistant to cold virus infection for up to 24 hours. The other two treatment ingredients treat the inflammatory pathways that cause cold symptom. Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine and anticholinergic, which blocks sneezing and runny nose. Ibuprofen reduces sore throat, coughing and headache. Treatment with these drugs also reduces coughing.

The researchers tested the treatment in a double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 150 young male and female adults. During the five days of the study, the daily average total symptoms score of volunteers receiving the actual drugs were reduced by 33 percent to 73 percent compared to those on placebo treatment. Volunteers who received the drugs experienced reduced severity of sneezing, runny nose, nasal obstruction, sore throat, cough and headache. They also had less nasal mucus production, nasal tissue use and virus concentration in nasal secretions.