While medical researchers around the world are racing to come up with a vaccine/cure to the novel Coronavirus, a new study points out that humans might already have drugs that are effective against the COVID-19 virus.
Led by Sumit Chanda, professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, a global team of scientists has authored the study that lists the effective drugs. Now published in the journal Nature, the study claims that the 21 identified drugs stop the replication of SARS-CoV-2.
In laboratory tests, the team of scientists studied drugs from the ReFRAME drug re-purposing collection, one of the world's largest collections of known drugs. More than 12,000 drugs were analysed for their capability to block the replication of SARS-CoV-2. The drugs were also evaluated for their compatibility with Remdesivir as well as the quantity in which they are able to kill the virus.
Out of the collection, scientists found 100 molecules to have confirmed antiviral activity in tests. A total of 21 drugs were then shortlisted to be effective against the virus. It was important to analyse the quantity of the drugs that killed the virus and whether that concentration could be safely administered to patients.?
Interestingly, four of these compounds were found to be similar to Remdesivir, a drug currently being used in the treatment for COVID-19. Yet, scientists have their doubts on the use of Remdesivir alone.
"Remdesivir has proven successful at shortening the recovery time for patients in the hospital, but the drug doesn't work for everyone who receives it. That's not good enough," says Chanda, who is also the director of the Immunity and Pathogenesis Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys.
The focus thus is on finding ˇ°affordable, effective, and readily available drugs that can complement the use of remdesivir,ˇ± says Chanda in a release by the institute.
Scientists found that out of the 21 drugs found to work against SARS-CoV-2, 13 have previously entered clinical trials for other indications. These 13 drugs are known to be effective at concentrations that could potentially be achieved safely in COVID-19 patients.
Two of these are already FDA approved: astemizole (allergies) and clofazamine (leprosy).
Four drugs were also found to be compatible with Remdesivirs.
"This study significantly expands the possible therapeutic options for COVID-19 patients, especially since many of the molecules already have clinical safety data in humans," says Chanda.
For now, researchers are testing all 21 compounds in small animal models and "mini lungs" that are similar to human tissue. If these studies yield positive results, the team will extend the findings to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss clinical trials for the potential candidates.