1. Academic Validation
  2. Remdesivir, lopinavir, emetine, and homoharringtonine inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro

Remdesivir, lopinavir, emetine, and homoharringtonine inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro

  • Antiviral Res. 2020 Jun;178:104786. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104786.
Ka-Tim Choy 1 Alvina Yin-Lam Wong 1 Prathanporn Kaewpreedee 1 Sin Fun Sia 1 Dongdong Chen 1 Kenrie Pui Yan Hui 1 Daniel Ka Wing Chu 1 Michael Chi Wai Chan 1 Peter Pak-Hang Cheung 2 Xuhui Huang 2 Malik Peiris 1 Hui-Ling Yen 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
  • 2 Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China.
  • 3 School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
Abstract

An escalating pandemic by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus is impacting global health and effective therapeutic options are urgently needed. We evaluated the in vitro Antiviral effect of compounds that were previously reported to inhibit coronavirus replication and compounds that are currently under evaluation in clinical trials for SARS-CoV-2 patients. We report the Antiviral effect of remdesivir, lopinavir, homorringtonine, and emetine against SARS-CoV-2 virus in Vero E6 cells with the estimated 50% effective concentration at 23.15 μM, 26.63 μM, 2.55 μM and 0.46 μM, respectively. Ribavirin or favipiravir that are currently evaluated under clinical trials showed no inhibition at 100 μM. Synergy between remdesivir and emetine was observed, and remdesivir at 6.25 μM in combination with emetine at 0.195 μM may achieve 64.9% inhibition in viral yield. Combinational therapy may help to reduce the effective concentration of compounds below the therapeutic plasma concentrations and provide better clinical benefits.

Keywords

ABSTRACT; COVID-19; Emetine; Homoharringtonine; Lopinavir; Remdesivir; Ritonavir.

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