Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin Used Alone or Combined Are Not Effective Against SARS-CoV-2 Ex Vivo and in a Hamster Model

Overview

Journal Antiviral Res

Publisher Elsevier

Date 2021 Nov 28

PMID 34838583

Citations 6

Authors

Maxime Cochin

Franck Touret

Jean-Selim Driouich

Gregory Moureau

Paul-Remi Petit

Caroline Laprie

Caroline Solas

Xavier de Lamballerie

Antoine Nougairede

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Drug repositioning has been used extensively since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to identify antiviral molecules for use in human therapeutics. Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin have shown inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 replication in different cell lines. Based on such in vitro data and despite the weakness of preclinical assessment, many clinical trials were set up using these molecules. In the present study, we show that hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin alone or combined does not block SARS-CoV-2 replication in human bronchial airway epithelia. When tested in a Syrian hamster model, hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin administrated alone or combined displayed no significant effect on viral replication, clinical course of the disease and lung impairments, even at high doses. Hydroxychloroquine quantification in lung tissues confirmed strong exposure to the drug, above in vitro inhibitory concentrations. Overall, this study does not support the use of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as antiviral drugs for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Citing Articles

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