Several FDA-Approved Drugs Could Be Repurposed To Treat People Infected With COVID-19

https://scitechdaily.com ^ | 17 September 2021 | By PLOS

[Red Badger]

Study suggests some medications might inhibit virus replication in human cells.

Despite the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, effective therapeutics are needed until worldwide immunity has been achieved. A study published in PLOS Pathogens by Adam Pickard and Karl Kadler at University of Manchester, United Kingdom, and colleagues suggests that some FDA-approved drugs could be safely repurposed to treat COVID-19 infections.

The majority of the world’s population is still unvaccinated, yet there are few medications that have been proven safe, easily distributed, and capable of reducing the spread of SARS-CoV-2. To identify drugs that could effectively treat SARS-CoV-2 infections, researchers performed a screen of 1971 FDA-approved therapeutics using a luminescent enzyme tagged version of SARS-CoV-2 virus in order to quantify viral load. They then analyzed the efficacy of the drugs in a range of infected human cell types, observing how well the virus replicated in infected cells after exposure to each medication.

The authors identified nine drugs effective in suppressing virus replication in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells already infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, the study was limited in that it was only conducted in human cells and the drugs have yet to be tested for efficacy in treating SARS-CoV-2 in patients. Clinical trials are needed to determine whether the drugs are suitable therapeutics for COVID-19 patients.

Electron microscopy showing Vero cells infected with an NLuc tagged SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus particles are contained within intracellular compartments. Credit: Yinhui Lu, Pickard A et al., 2021, PLOS Pathogens, CC-BY 4.0

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According to the authors, “Our study has identified compounds that are safe in humans and show effectiveness in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication in human cells. As these drugs are FDA-approved and with safe dosimetry already established for use in patients, clinical trials could be initiated for these drugs within a relatively short time frame.”

Kadler adds, “We identify drugs that stop replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (which is the cause of COVID-19) in human cells in culture. The drugs include ebastine, which is approved by the FDA for the treatment of Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pneumocystis carinii) pneumonia, and vitamin D3, which is available over the counter, and could prove powerful additions to the treatment of COVID-19. These drugs have not been evaluated in patients with COVID-19 and are not alternatives to existing treatments or vaccination programs.”

Reference: “Discovery of re-purposed drugs that slow SARS-CoV-2 replication in human cells” by Adam Pickard, Ben C. Calverley, Joan Chang, Richa Garva, Sara Gago, Yinhui Lu and Karl E. Kadler, 9 September 2021, PLoS Pathogens.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009840

[Red Badger]

vitamin D3, which is available over the counter..........................

[Regulator]

They will be debunked since Pfizer/Moderna/Johnson can’t make a dime off them

[DuncanWaring]

Or, you can make it yourself for free by exposing some skin to the Sun.

[nickcarraway]

vitamin D3, which is available over the counter.

It's available in food and exposure to sunlight. Is popping pills the only thing someone can do?

[nickcarraway]

GMTA

And how about salmon, sardines, tuna, eggs, mushrooms, etc.? And in the old days people took cod liver oil, you can still do that.

[metmom]

A new patent is a way to increase profits without the vax.

However, would I trust it????

Not really. Not after the last year and a half.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“Several FDA-Approved Drugs Could Be Repurposed To Treat People Infected With COVID-19”

Why the HELL wasn’t this done in March - April 2020? Why the hell are they almost a YEAR and a HALF late?

Will Ivermectin be on the list?

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

• Two cancer drugs

• Two blood pressure drugs

• One anti-histamine

• Two anti-microbial drugs (one anti-malarial)

• One tuberculosis drug

H1 receptor blockers include second-generation (Zyrtec, Alavert, and Claritin) and third-generation (Clarinex, Allegra,and Xyzal)

Interesting that anti-malarial pops up yet again (remember HCQ is an anti-malarial), but no other anti-parasite drugs show up on the list.

[WildHighlander57]

Red Badger wrote:

“vitamin D3, which is available over the counter..........................”

What, no HCQ or Ivermectin ??

Or zinc?

[Ragnar54]

The amount available in food is insignificant. Early humans achieved the "ancestral" blood level of 45 ng/ml by running around naked under an equatorial sun. If you don't live near the equator, or if you are in the habit of wearing clothing or if you spend a lot of time indoors, or if you have dark skin, you won't get enough D3 without supplementation.

I have personally found it necessary to take 10,000 IU per day in order to reach the desired blood levels (your mileage may vary: take a $35 Vitamin D blood test to find out). This means two 5000 IU pills per day, or 730 pills per year. My preferred supplier charges about $7.50 for a bottle of 60, so it costs me about $92 per year. Since a high level of Vitamin D is associated with a reduced risk of the flu and pneumonia as well as the China Virus, this is an inexpensive investment. As a side benefit, I haven't had so much as a cold since starting this regimen, and I had no reaction to the China Virus vaccine; Vitamin D acts against excess inflammation, and extremely low levels were shown to be associated with hypercoalgulation :

Emerging Role of Vitamin D and its Associated Molecules in Pathways Related to Pathogenesis of Thrombosis

[Cobra64]

It takes a lot of exposure to sunlight to get to the point where vitamin D is effective. In some states and countries, there is very little sunlight. Furthermore, for some people, exposure to sunlight may lead to skin cancer.

[Cobra64]

Vitamin D3 and Zinc is a common cocktail fighting COVID. There are dozens of papers (videos) on the effectiveness of Ivermectin. The real issue is, ttjere is the issue of MONEY for the pharmaceutical companies.

[Red Badger]

I take around 6000 IU’s of D3 a day.................