Several FDA-Approved Drugs Could Be Repurposed To Treat People Infected With COVID-19

Research suggests that some drugs can inhibit virus replication in human cells.

Despite the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, effective therapies are needed until global immunity is achieved. A study published in PLOS Pathogens by Adam Pickard and Karl Kadler of the University of Manchester, UK, and colleagues suggests that some FDA-approved drugs can be safely reused to treat COVID-19 infections.

The majority of the world’s population is still unvaccinated, but few drugs have been proven to be safe, easy to spread and can reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2. To identify drugs that could effectively treat SARS-CoV-2 infections, researchers conducted a 1971 screening of FDA-approved therapies using a luminescent enzyme-labeled version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to target the viral to quantify tax. They then analyzed the efficacy of the drugs in a range of infected human cell types and observed how well the virus replicated in infected cells after exposure to each drug.

The authors identified nine drugs that are effective in suppressing virus replication in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells already infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, the study was limited because it was conducted only in human cells and the drugs have yet to be tested for efficacy in treating SARS-CoV-2 in patients. Clinical trials are needed to determine whether the drugs are appropriate therapies for COVID-19 patients.

Electron microscopy showing Vero cells infected with an NLuc-tagged SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus particles are located in intracellular compartments. Credit: Yinhui Lu, Pickard A et al., 2021, PLOS Pathogens, CC-BY 4.0

According to the authors, “Our study identified compounds that are safe for humans and that demonstrate effectiveness in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication in human cells. As these drugs are FDA-approved and with safe dosimetry that already established for use in patients, clinical trials for these drugs could be initiated within a relatively short time.”

Kadler added: “We are identifying drugs that stop the replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (which causes COVID-19) in human cells in culture. The drugs include ebastine, which is FDA-approved for the treatment of Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pneumocystis carinii) pneumonia, and vitamin D3, which is available over the counter, and could be a potent addition to the treatment of COVID-19. These drugs have not been evaluated in patients with COVID-19 and are not alternatives to existing treatments or vaccination programs.”

Reference: “Discovery of Repurposed Drugs That Slow SARS-CoV-2 Replication in Human Cells” by Adam Pickard, Ben C. Calverley, Joan Chang, Richa Garva, Sara Gago, Yinhui Lu, and Karl E. Kadler, September 9, 2021, PLoS pathogens.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009840