UK scientists may have cured the common cold

British scientists have developed a new molecule which they say could cure the common cold.

Researchers at Imperial College London discovered IMP-1088, a molecule that targets human cells that allow the cold virus to spread.

Like all viruses, the common cold virus enters the human body and then hijacks particular cells to duplicate itself.

But a study published in Nature Chemistry describes how IMP-1088 interferes with a protein in human cells to prevent a hijacking from taking place.

It took mere minutes for IMP-1088 to take effect on human lung cells in a laboratory trial.

Researchers are now working on a drug that can be inhaled for people who have just started getting the sniffles.

"The common cold is an inconvenience for most of us, but can cause serious complications in people with conditions like asthma and COPD," Professor Ed Tate said.

"A drug like this could be extremely beneficial if given early in infection, and we are working on making a version that could be inhaled, so that it gets to the lungs quickly."

Previous efforts to create drugs that target human cells rather than infections have failed thanks to "toxic side effects".

But while it is still early days in the Imperial College's research, there have been no such side effects from IMP-1088.

The drug is also hypothetically effective in dealing with polio and foot and mouth disease, which have similar viruses to the common cold.

The molecule was initially discovered when searching for a way to take on malaria parasites.

Among the researchers is Dr Andy Bell, one of the inventors of Viagra.