Broad-spectrum antiviral activity of naproxen: from Influenza A to SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus

Terrier, O.; Dilly, S.; Pizzorno, M.-A.; Henri, J.; Berenbaum, F.; Lina, B.; Feve, B.; Adnet, F.; Sabbah, M.; Rosa-Calavatra, M.; Marechal, V.; Slama-Schwok, A.

doi:10.1101/2020.04.30.069922

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2020.04.30.069922

Broad-spectrum antiviral activity of naproxen: from Influenza A to SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus

Terrier, O.·Dilly, S.·Pizzorno, M.-A.·Henri, J.·Berenbaum, F.·Lina, B.·Feve, B.·Adnet, F.·Sabbah, M.·Rosa-Calavatra, M.·Marechal, V.·Slama-Schwok, A.

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Abstract

There is an urgent need for specific antiviral drugs directed against SARS-CoV-2 both to prevent the most severe forms of COVID-19 and to reduce viral excretion and subsequent virus dissemination; in the present pandemic context, drug repurposing is a priority. Targeting the nucleoprotein N of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in order to inhibit its association with viral RNA could be a strategy to impeding viral replication and possibly other essential functions associated with viral N. The antiviral properties of naproxen, belonging to the NSAID family, previously demonstrated against Influenza A virus, were evaluated against SARS-CoV-2. Naproxen binding to the nucleoprotein of SARS-CoV2 was shown by molecular modeling. In VeroE6 cells and reconstituted human primary respiratory epithelium models of SARS-CoV-2 infection, naproxen inhibited viral replication and protected the bronchial epithelia against SARS-CoV-2 induced-damage. The benefit of naproxen addition to the standard of care is tested in an on-going clinical study.

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Terrier, O., Dilly, S., Pizzorno, M.-A., Henri, J., Berenbaum, F., Lina, B., Feve, B., Adnet, F., Sabbah, M., Rosa-Calavatra, M., Marechal, V., Slama-Schwok, A.. 2020-05-01. Broad-spectrum antiviral activity of naproxen: from Influenza A to SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.30.069922

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