According to an American study published in “Science Translational Medicine”, the broad spectrum oral antiviral EIDD-2801 could be effective against SARS-CoV-2. Experiments on human cells have given encouraging results, both on the new coronavirus and on MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-1.
The antiviral EIDD-2801 is close to remdesivir, whose efficacy in Covid-19 infection is also evaluated. Both treatments work by mimicking the ribonucleosides of RNA and thus lead to errors in the replication of viral RNA. EIDD-2801 has the advantage that it can be administered orally and not intravenously like remdesivir.
Improved lung function
Tested on cultures of human respiratory tract cells, the antiviral EIDD-2801 successfully inhibited viral replication of SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-1 without causing toxicity. The antiviral was also active against SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV in the lung cells.
The antiviral was then administered to mice before or within 48 hours of infection with SARS-CoV-1 or MERS. Beneficial effects have been observed in terms of lung function and viral load. EIDD-2801 also appears to be effective against viruses resistant to remdesivir. Note that there is not yet a mouse model for SARS-CoV-2, emphasize the authors.
According to them, the fact that the antiviral is active against different zoonotic coronaviruses suggests that ” if another SARS or MERS type virus were to spread in the future, it would probably be sensitive to the antiviral activity of this treatment “
” This antiviral could be evaluated in the context of compassionate use and clinical trials in humans. The goal is to directly attack the virus, alleviate symptoms, decrease pathogenesis and save lives Said Timothy Sheahan, the study’s first author, in a statement.
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