Repurposing of thalidomide and its derivatives for the treatment of SARS‐coV‐2 infections: Hints on molecular action

Sundaresan, Lakshmikirupa; Giri, Suvendu; Singh, Himanshi; Chatterjee, Suvro

AIMS: The SARS‐coV‐2 pandemic continues to cause an unprecedented global destabilization requiring urgent attention towards drug and vaccine development. Thalidomide, a drug with known anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects has been indicated to be effective in treating a SARS‐coV‐2 pneumonia patient. Here, we study the possible mechanisms through which thalidomide might affect coronavirus disease‐19 (COVID‐19). METHODS: The present study explores the possibility of repurposing thalidomide for the treatment of SARS‐coV‐2 pneumonia by reanalysing transcriptomes of SARS‐coV‐2 infected tissues with thalidomide and lenalidomide induced transcriptomic changes in transformed lung and haematopoietic models as procured from databases, and further comparing them with the transcriptome of primary endothelial cells. RESULTS: Thalidomide and lenalidomide exhibited pleiotropic effects affecting a range of biological processes including inflammation, immune response, angiogenesis, MAPK signalling, NOD‐like receptor signalling, Toll‐like receptor signalling, leucocyte differentiation and innate immunity, the processes that are aberrantly regulated in severe COVID‐19 patients. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates thalidomide analogues as a better fit for treating severe cases of novel viral infections, healing the damaged network by compensating the impairment caused by the COVID‐19.