Despite the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, effective therapeutics are needed until worldwide immunity has been achieved.
In a new study from the University of Manchester, researchers found that some FDA-approved drugs could be safely repurposed to treat COVID-19 infections.
The majority of the world’s population is still unvaccinated, yet there are few medications that have been proven safe, easily distributed, and capable of reducing the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
In the study, researchers performed a screen of 1971 FDA-approved drugs to identify therapies that could effectively treat SARS-CoV-2 infections.
They then analyzed the efficacy of the drugs in a range of infected human cell types, observing how well the virus replicated in infected cells after exposure to each medication.
The team identified nine drugs effective in suppressing virus replication in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells already infected with SARS-CoV-2.
However, the study was limited in that it was only conducted 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 suitable therapeutics for COVID-19 patients.
The team says their study has identified compounds that are safe in humans and show effectiveness in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication in human cells.
As these drugs are FDA-approved and with safe dosimetry already established for use in patients, clinical trials could be initiated for these drugs within a relatively short time frame.
If you care about COVID, please read studies about this common blood thinner drug can help inhibit COVID-19 virus and findings of these 2 anti-inflammatory drugs may improve recovery from severe COVID-19.
For more information about COVID and your health, please see recent studies about this common diabetes drug may lower death risk in COVID-19 and results showing that these blood thinning drugs may lower death risk in COVID-19 patients.
The study is published in PLOS Pathogens. One author of the study is Adam Pickard.
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