New research published in the journal Emerging Microbes and Infections gives hope to the idea that existing drug compounds could be used to treat Ebola.
Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the National Institutes of Health found 53 existing drug compounds that could be effective in treating Ebola. To find the compounds, the researchers looked through 2,816 drug compounds used to treat other conditions, including cancer and depression. They looked for compounds that could "prevent Ebola from infecting human cells by 50 percent," Time reports.
The scientists plan to test the compounds in animals to determine their effects on Ebola and their side effects. They hope to find a combination of compounds that could be used in an Ebola-fighting drug.