Nature: Leprosy drugs can effectively fight the new coronavirus infection

Nature: Leprosy drugs can effectively fight the new coronavirus infection.   As of now, there is no widely available specific antiviral therapy for human coronaviruses. Remdesivir (remdesivir) showed pan-coronavirus suppression potential and was approved by the FDA for the treatment of COVID-19 on the basis of shortening the recovery time. However, this therapy is not ideal, especially for severely ill patients with COVID-19.

On March 16, local time, the top international academic journal “Nature” published online publications in the form of “Accelerated Article Preview” (Accelerated Article Preview) of the University of Hong Kong, the Sandford Burnham Plibris Medical Institute, etc. A study by the team, entitled “Clofazimine broadly inhibits coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2”. Studies have found that clofamizine, the drug currently used to treat leprosy, is effective against SARS-CoV-2 infection in human cells and hamster models.

The research team believes that aminophenazine can be taken orally and the manufacturing cost is relatively low. These characteristics make it a potentially attractive drug candidate for COVID-19. Famphenazine can broadly inhibit human pathogenic coronaviruses in human cell models.

Fenazine is a drug approved by the US FDA for marketing. The research team found that phenazine can reduce the replication of two coronaviruses (new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus MERS-CoV) in human and monkey cell lines and human lung tissue. Fenazine interferes with multiple steps in viral replication.

In the analysis of the drug’s antiviral effect, the research team observed that the drug targets multiple steps in the replication of the new coronavirus, including interference with the cell fusion process and the activity of viral helicase.
Studies have concluded that in the hamster model of new coronavirus infection, the use of amphenazine before or after virus exposure can significantly reduce the number of virus particles found in the lungs. It is worth noting that when combined with Redecivir, the two drugs have a synergistic effect in reducing virus replication. Famphenazine prevents and treats COVID-19 disease.

The research team believes that low-dose remdesivir combined with amphenazine can limit the improvement of the virus control effect in the hamster model.

They pointed out that aminophenazine may become an attractive drug candidate for outpatient treatment of the COVID-19. More clinical studies are now needed to determine whether it has the potential to become an alternative therapy.

(source:internet, reference only)

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