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

The study identified FDA-approved drugs with potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 using hierarchical in silico and in vitro screening methods. Researchers screened 1,789 drugs and identified 173 candidates, with 13 showing antiviral activity at non-cytotoxic doses. Notably, cepharantine, efloxate, clofazimine, metergoline, and imatinib were found to interfere with viral entry. Cepharantine, previously approved in Japan for treating alopecia, was highlighted. The study emphasized targeting host proteins involved in viral entry as a promising strategy for developing anti-COVID-19 drugs and suggested these drugs could be validated in clinical trials for COVID-19 treatment.