Yale Researchers Develop RNA-Based Therapy That Stimulates the Type-1 Interferon Response and Clears SARS-CoV-2 from Mice

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have discovered that an RNA molecule that stimulates the body’s early antiviral defense system can protect mice from a range of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. The study, published November 10, 2021 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), could lead to new treatments for COVID-19 in immunocompromised patients, as well as providing an inexpensive therapeutic option for developing countries that currently lack access to vaccines. The open-access article is titled “A Stem-Loop RNA RIG-I Agonist Protects Against Acute and Chronic SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Mice.”