At a press conference held in Hong Kong, Ho introduced the primary study results of a new approach in the identification of antiviral agents effective in stopping entry of coronavirus, the probable key cause of the killer disease of SARS.
Ho, who helped discover the powerful protease inhibitors that were proved to be key of the HIV "cocktail," said he would not say that "we switched gears, but we took on an additional load."
"We say SARS virus may be similar with the HIV virus," Ho said.
He believed it may be easier to find a vaccine that works against SARS than one for HIV.
Ho said animal coronaviruses can be neutralized by antibodies much more easily than HIV, suggesting that a SARS vaccine is going to be discovered more easily.
(People’s Daily May 12, 2003)
