New Delhi, March 23: As the world is battling against the coronavirus outbreak and world-wide death toll crossed 14,000, a team of scientist have identified 69 drugs that could be effective in treating a COVID-19 infected person. Some of these drugs are already being used by doctors in treating coronavirus patients. The list of drugs for treating coronavirus patients appeared in a study published on the website bioRxiv. Coronavirus Vaccine: US Begins First Human Trial of COVID-19 Vaccination in Seattle.

In a bid to develop a vaccine following the global coronavirus outbreak, a large number of researchers embarked on an unusual study of the genes of the coronavirus, also called SARS-CoV-2. During the study, the scientists investigated 26 of the coronavirus' 29 genes, which direct production of the viral proteins. They also found the coronavirus targets 332 human proteins and needs some of them to enter and replicate in human cells. COVID-19 Outbreak: Scientists in Israel Likely to Announce Development of Coronavirus Vaccine, Says Report.

The research team eventually identified 24 drugs that had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat such seemingly unrelated diseases as cancer, Parkinson’s disease and hypertension, reported the New York Times. The list of drugs includes haloperidol, used to treat schizophrenia, metformin, taken by people with Type 2 diabetes, and antibiotics that kill bacteria by gumming up the cellular machinery they use to build proteins.

One of the drugs on the list is chloroquine that kills the single-celled parasite that causes malaria. The number of coronavirus cases has crossed 3 lakh globally, with the death toll reaching 14,654. Italy remains the worst-hit country with deaths reaching 5,476 on Sunday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 23, 2020 11:49 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).