David Ho, an expert on HIV treatment and his colleagues of Hong Kong University claimed Sunday they are making breakthrough in finding antiviral agents to stop entry of coronavirus, which may be a new treatment for SARS patients.

At a press conference held here, 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.

(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2003)