Melbourne scientists have developed a treatment which could kill COVID-19 while it’s still in the nose.

Researchers from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre have discovered microscopic molecular scissors could stop the virus from replicating.

Until now, the technology has only been used for cancer treatment.

“We eventually want it to be like a spray,” Director of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Professor Sharon Lewin, told Ross and Russel.

The molecular scissors have only been trialled in test tubes, but results are promising.

“Cancer scientists use it to knock out cancer and we’ve shown you can use it to knock out the virus,” Professor Lewin said.

“We’re going to throw a whole lot of effort at this but I think we would not be doing clinical trials for a few years yet, realistically.”

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