Synergism between remdesivir and ribavirin leads to SARS-CoV-2 extinction in cell culture.
Br J Pharmacol
; 181(15): 2636-2654, 2024 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38616133
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:
There is a need for effective anti-COVID-19 treatments, mainly for individuals at risk of severe disease such as the elderly and the immunosuppressed. Drug repositioning has proved effective in identifying drugs that can find a new application for the control of coronavirus disease, in particular COVID-19. The purpose of the present study was to find synergistic antiviral combinations for COVID-19 based on lethal mutagenesis. EXPERIMENTALAPPROACH:
The effect of combinations of remdesivir and ribavirin on the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in cell culture has been tested. Viral populations were monitored by ultra-deep sequencing, and the decrease of infectivity as a result of the treatment was measured. KEYRESULTS:
Remdesivir and ribavirin exerted a synergistic inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2, quantified both by CompuSyn (Chou-Talalay method) and Synergy Finder (ZIP-score model). In serial passage experiments, virus extinction was readily achieved with remdesivir-ribavirin combinations at concentrations well below their cytotoxic 50 value, but not with the drugs used individually. Deep sequencing of treated viral populations showed that remdesivir, ribavirin, and their combinations evoked significant increases of the number of viral mutations and haplotypes, as well as modification of diversity indices that characterize viral quasi-species. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS SARS-CoV-2 extinction can be achieved by synergistic combination treatments based on lethal mutagenesis. In addition, the results offer prospects of triple drug treatments for effective SARS-CoV-2 suppression.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Limite:
Animals
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article