MOSCOW, November 16. /TASS/. The Mir-19 anti-coronavirus drug is capable of blocking the viral replication site so it is effective against all virus strains, Head of Russia’s Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA) Veronika Skvortsova told the Rossiya-24 TV channel on Tuesday.

"A medication has been developed that is capable of blocking the replication site of the SARS-Cov-2 virus. The replication site is crucial for the virus, not only for some particular strain but for the entire SARS-Cov-2 lineage, which is why it is a universal solution," she pointed out.

Skvortsova noted that phase one clinical trials had confirmed that the nasal form of the medication was well-tolerated. "The drug is safe for humans as it only impacts the virus and not the entire body. It is a highly specific aetiotropic antiviral drug," she stressed.

The Mir-19 medication, designed to prevent and treat coronavirus, is suitable for inhalation and nasal administration. It halts virus replication and prevents the most severe forms of the infection, as well as pneumonitis and the acute respiratory distress syndrome that the infection causes.