Homo-harringtonine (HHT) - A highly effective drug against coronaviruses and the potential for large-scale clinical applications
Wen, H.-J.; Lin, P.; Zhong, G.-X.; Xu, Z.-C.; Shuai, L.; Wen, Z.-Y.; Wang, C.; Cao, X.; He, W.-B.; Feng, J.; Cai, Q.-C.; Ma, H.-J.; Wu, S.-J.; Wang, G.-D.; Lyu, X.-M.; Liu, F.-L.; Zheng, Y.-T.; Zeng, H.; He, X.-L.; Chen, H.-L.; Zhang, F.-J.; Wu, C.-I.
Show abstract
In the search for treatment schemes of COVID-19, we start by examining the general weakness of coronaviruses and then identify approved drugs attacking that weakness. The approach, if successful, should identify drugs with a specific mechanism that is at least as effective as the best drugs proposed and are ready for clinical trials. All coronaviruses translate their non-structural proteins ([~]16) in concatenation, resulting in a very large super-protein. Homo-harringtonine (HHT), which has been approved for the treatment of leukemia, blocks protein elongation very effectively. Hence, HHT can repress the replication of many coronaviruses at the nano-molar concentration. In two mouse models, HHT clears SARS-CoV-2 in 3 days, especially by nasal dripping of 40 ug per day. We also use dogs to confirm the safety of HHT delivered by nebulization. The nebulization scheme could be ready for large-scale applications at the onset of the next epidemics. For the current COVID-19, a clinical trial has been approved by the Ditan hospital of Beijing but could not be implemented for want of patients. The protocol is available to qualified medical facilities.
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