More than 300 scientists from around the world agreed on strategies to fight SARS during a two-day symposium in Beijing.

"The most striking consensus we reached is that we have found a kind of restriction protein enzyme which acts as a chemical scissor to cut the spread of the virus in cells in the human body," said David Ho, director and CEO of the New York-based Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre.

"But we still have a long way to go in the effort to locate vaccines and more effective drugs for prevention and treatment of the flu-like disease," said Ho.

He made the remarks during a speech yesterday at a press conference at the conclusion of the International Science Symposium on SARS organized by the Chinese Government which brought together a group of world-ranking scientists, including New York-based Ian Lipkin and Zhong Nanshan, director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Guangdong Province.

Lipkin said scientists participating in the international anti-SARS co-operation have set an example for the world community in combating disasters.

(HK Edition 07/12/2003 page1)

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