Ivermectin as a Broad-Spectrum Host-Directed Antiviral: The Real Deal?
Jans et al.,
Ivermectin as a Broad-Spectrum Host-Directed Antiviral: The Real Deal?,
Cells 2020, 9:9, 2100, doi:10.3390/cells9092100 (Review)
Review of ivermectin as a host-directed broad-spectrum antiviral agent for a range of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
Cell culture experiments show robust antiviral action towards HIV-1, dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus, West Nile virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, Chikungunya virus, Pseudorabies virus, adenovirus, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).
Jans et al., 15 Sep 2020, peer-reviewed, 2 authors.
Abstract: cells
Review
Ivermectin as a Broad-Spectrum Host-Directed
Antiviral: The Real Deal?
David A. Jans 1, *
1
2
*
and Kylie M. Wagstaff 2
Nuclear Signaling Lab., Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery
Institute, Monash University, Monash, Victoria 3800, Australia
Cancer Targeting and Nuclear Therapeutics Lab., Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Monash, Victoria 3800, Australia;
Kylie.Wagstaff@monash.edu
Correspondence: David.Jans@monash.edu; Tel.: +61-404-679-865
Received: 8 August 2020; Accepted: 9 September 2020; Published: 15 September 2020
Abstract: The small molecule macrocyclic lactone ivermectin, approved by the US Food and Drug
Administration for parasitic infections, has received renewed attention in the last eight years due to its
apparent exciting potential as an antiviral. It was identified in a high-throughput chemical screen as
inhibiting recognition of the nuclear localizing Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) integrase
protein by the host heterodimeric importin (IMP) α/β1 complex, and has since been shown to bind
directly to IMPα to induce conformational changes that prevent its normal function in mediating
nuclear import of key viral and host proteins. Excitingly, cell culture experiments show robust
antiviral action towards HIV-1, dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus, West Nile virus, Venezuelan equine
encephalitis virus, Chikungunya virus, Pseudorabies virus, adenovirus, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).
Phase III human clinical trials have been completed for DENV, with >50 trials currently in progress
worldwide for SARS-CoV-2. This mini-review discusses the case for ivermectin as a host-directed
broad-spectrum antiviral agent for a range of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
Keywords: ivermectin; antiviral; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; flavivirus; dengue virus; Zika virus
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