A research study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology showed that antifungal drugs and antidepressant drugs might effectively inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 virus in laboratory cells. The drugs under study were the antifungal and antidepressant fluoxetine which blocked the formation of infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus in cell culture laboratory tests. The study findings add SARS-CoV-2 to the spectrum of itraconazole-sensitive enveloped viruses. 

The study also showed that the drugs showed synergistic effects and blocked the production of SARS-CoV-2 by more than 90% when given in combination with remdesivir. In both cases, itraconazole and fluoxetine combinations showed more robust antiviral activities against SARS-CoV-2 than the remdesivir monotherapy. 

Earlier studies have already shown that itraconazole and fluoxetine can be repurposed to target enveloped viruses. The present study is clinically significant as combination treatments of itraconazole and fluoxetine combined with remdesivir may offer a superior treatment to inhibit the COVID 19 virus. 

Resource: Schloer S, et al. British Journal of Pharmacology. 2021; 178: 2339-2350.