Metformin reduces SARS-CoV-2 in a Phase 3 Randomized Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial.

ABSTRACT: Current antiviral treatment options for SARS-CoV-2 infections are not available globally, cannot be used with many medications, and are limited to virus-specific targets.^1-3 Biophysical modeling of SARS-CoV-2 replication predicted that protein translation is an especially attractive target for antiviral therapy.⁴ Literature review identified metformin, widely known as a treatment for diabetes, as a potential suppressor of protein translation via targeting of the host mTor pathway.⁵ In vitro, metformin has antiviral activity against RNA viruses including SARS-CoV-2.^6,7 In the COVID-OUT phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of outpatient treatment of COVID-19, metformin had a 42% reduction in ER visits/hospitalizations/death through 14 days

SUBMITTER: Bramante CT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10275003 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature