Host-Directed FDA-Approved Drugs with Antiviral Activity Against SARS-CoV-2 Identified by Hierarchical In Silico/In Vitro Screening Methods

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers conducted a study to identify FDA-approved drugs that could be repurposed as antiviral treatments against SARS-CoV-2. They employed a hierarchical in silico/in vitro screening method, which combined virtual and biological screening to efficiently identify host-directed therapies. The study focused on host-based targets related to viral entry and led to the identification of five potentially repurposable drugs: cepharantine, clofazimine, metergoline, imatinib, and efloxate, which showed potential in interfering with viral entry.