Preclinical Screening Platform Identifies Azatadine-Dimaleate as a Potent Repurposed Therapeutic Against SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

ABSTRACT: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 posed a major global public health threat, necessitating urgent development of therapeutics. Despite vaccine availability, continuous emergence of viral variants with enhanced transmissibility and immune escape capabilities, and consequential impacts on health services, requires effective antiviral therapeutics. Drug repurposing offers an expeditious strategy to identify therapeutics with established safety profiles. We implemented a comprehensive three-tiered validation approach, screening 2,570 compounds against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, followed by ex vivo validation in well-differentiated primary human bronchial epithelial cell (WD-PBEC) cultures, and rigorous in vivo assessment. This methodical progression identified Azatadine-Dimaleate, a H1-receptor antagonist

SUBMITTER: Ali A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12631721 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature