In a recent study from the University of Kent and elsewhere, researchers found a drug with the potential to provide treatment for COVID-19.
They found that the approved protease inhibitor aprotinin displayed activity against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, in concentrations that are achieved in patients.
The study is published in Cells. One author is Professor Martin Michaelis.
Aprotinin is a drug used to reduce bleeding during complex surgery such as heart and liver surgery. For this use, it is typically administered by injection.
Nevertheless, the drug was formally withdrawn worldwide after studies confirmed that its use in surgery may increase the risk of complications.
In the study, the team found that aprotinin inhibits the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells and may compensate for the loss of host cell protease inhibitors that are downregulated upon SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Currently, aprotinin aerosols are approved in Russia for the treatment of influenza and could be readily tested for the treatment of COVID-19.
The team says the aprotinin aerosol has been reported to be tolerated extremely well in influenza patients.
Hence, it may have a particular potential to prevent severe COVID-19 disease when applied early after diagnosis.
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