SARS-CoV-2 pandemic : Time to revive the cyclophilin inhibitor alisporivir

Pawlotsky, Jean-Michel

December 2019 saw the emergence of a new epidemic of pneumonia of varying severity, called COVID-19, caused by a newly identified coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. No therapeutic option is available to treat this infection that has already killed more than 235,000 people worldwide. This Viewpoint summarizes the strong scientific arguments supporting the use of alisporivir, a non-immunosuppressive analogue of cyclosporine A with potent cyclophilin inhibition properties that has reached Phase 3 clinical development, for the treatment of COVID-19. They include the strong cyclophilin dependency of the lifecycle of many coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, and preclinical data showing strong antiviral and cytoprotective properties of alisporivir in various models of coronavirus infection, including SARS-CoV-2. Alisporivir should be tested without delay on both virological and clinical endpoints in patients with or at-risk of severe forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection.