DOCTORS have found two ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS that may combat COVID-19 virus reproduction

Doctors have found 2 anti-inflammatory drugs- CARPROFEN and CELECOXIB, one humans and another prescribed for animals, might have a vital enzyme in the replication or reproduction of the novel coronavirus that triggers Covid-19, as per sources. The objective of the study, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, was to use computer techniques to analyse 6,466 drugs authorised by various drug agencies for both human and veterinary use.

Also besides, the Researchers from Universitat Rovirs in Spain estimate whether these drugs could be used to inhibit the main protease of the virus (M-pro) enzyme, which plays a vital role in the reproduction of the virus. According to researchers, the drugs that can combat the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 is an important step to findings the coronavirus vaccine that can positively bring the spread of the virus to an end. Against the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the trails organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) also aim to inhibit M-pro using two ANTIRETROVIRALS such as LOPINAVIR and RITONAVIR, drugs originally designed to treat HIV, they said.

Moreover, the researchers predicted that seven of the 6,466 drugs analysed may inhibit M-pro. As a result, COVID MOONSHOT has selected two of these seven compounds- CARPROFEN and CELECOXIB  in order to test their ability to inhibit M-pro in vitro. The findings show that the inhibiton of the in vitro activity of the M-pro enzyme is 11.90 and 4.0 Percent at a concentration of 50 MICROMOLAR of CELECOXIB or CARPROFEN.

Both the drugs – CARPROFEN and CELECOXIB molecules could be used as lead optimisation to obtain even more potent derivatives. The remaining 5 molecules are expected to be selected soon by COVID MOONSHOT so that their Bio activity can be tested as well.