Lab results show novel drug combo fights SARS-COV-2 on two fronts
February 2021

Scientists from IMI’s MAD-COV 2 project have shown that a low dose combination of the antiviral remdesivir and a drug called APN01 (hrsACE2) can stop the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19 from multiplying in cells. ###

Remdesivir is an antiviral that has been approved for use in COVID-19 patients. It works by stopping the virus from multiplying. However, higher doses can cause damage to the liver and the lungs. ‘Human recombinant soluble ACE2’, also known as hrsACE2, is a genetically modified variant of the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a cell membrane protein that the coronavirus hijacks in order to enter our cells.

Previous laboratory studies have shown that hrsACE2 lures the coronavirus to attach itself to the enzyme copy, hrsACE2, instead of to the actual cells, thereby reducing the viral load in cells. In this study, the researchers tested combining remdesivir and hrsACE2 in cell cultures from monkeys, human liver spheroids and human 3D kidney replicas, so-called organoids grown from stem cells. The use of low doses of each substance was able to reduce toxicity, making the drugs safer to use.

By targeting different aspects of the viral cycle simultaneously, the researchers have shown that effectiveness of the treatment can be boosted while reducing the risk of side-effects. They hope their findings will pave the way for clinical trials.

The study was published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.

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