In vitro activity of cysteamine against SARS-CoV-2 variants

Global COVID-19 pandemic is caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Continuous emergence of new variants and their rapid spread are jeopardizing vaccine countermeasures to a significant extent. While currently available vaccines are effective at prevent...

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Published in:Molecular genetics and metabolism 2022-09, Vol.137 (1-2), p.192-200
Main Authors: Thoene, Jess, Gavin, Robert F., Towne, Aaron, Wattay, Lauren, Ferrari, Maria Grazia, Navarrete, Jennifer, Pal, Ranajit
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antiviral Agents - pharmacology
COVID-19 Drug Treatment
Cysteamine
Cysteamine - pharmacology
Disulfides
Humans
Nasal spray
Ophthalmic Solutions
Orphan drug
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2
Viral inhibition
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Summary:Global COVID-19 pandemic is caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Continuous emergence of new variants and their rapid spread are jeopardizing vaccine countermeasures to a significant extent. While currently available vaccines are effective at preventing illness associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, these have been shown to be less effective at preventing breakthrough infection and transmission from a vaccinated individual to others. Here we demonstrate broad antiviral activity of cysteamine HCl in vitro against major emergent infectious variants of SARS-CoV-2 in a highly permissible Vero cell line. Cysteamine HCl inhibited infection of wild type, alpha, beta, gamma, delta, lambda, and omicron variants effectively. Cysteamine is a very well-tolerated US FDA-approved drug used chronically as a topical ophthalmic solution to treat ocular cystinosis in patients who receive it hourly or QID lifelong at concentrations 6 times higher than that required to inhibit SARS CoV-2 in tissue culture. Application of cysteamine as a topical nasal treatment can potentially1) mitigate existing infection 2) prevent infection in exposed individuals, and 3) limit the contagion in vulnerable populations.
ISSN:1096-7192
1096-7206
DOI:10.1016/j.ymgme.2022.08.009