Scientists recommend alternative to Remdesivir amid shortage of key COVID drugs

NEW DELHI:  At a time when the country is facing a shortage of Remdesivir, scientists have investigated 61 antiviral drugs and found a combination that has superior anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential.

A team of scientists from the Biochemical Sciences Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, India Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, and INTOX Private Limited, Pune, worked on the efficacy of drug repurposing for treating Covid-19.

“Our analysis suggested Sofosbuvir in combination with Ledipasvir and Daclatasvir as potential therapeutic agents for Covid-19. The combined score suggests that these combinations have superior anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential than Remdesivir and other investigational drugs,” they said in a paper published in Current Science.

They said the present work provides a rationale-based approach to select drugs with possible anti-Covid-19 activity for further clinical evaluation.

With the shortage of Remdesivir, the combination can be used to save the lives of severe Covid-19 patients. 

“Drug repurposing has been utilised as the most preferred therapeutic intervention for Covid mitigation due to its necessity and feasibility. To prioritise therapeutic regime against Covid, we used 61 antiviral drugs and their combinations,” said the paper.

The team said the findings provide a scientific rationale for applying Ledipasvir and Daclatasvir in combination with Sofosbuvir for Covid management.