Drug repurposing screens reveal cell-type specific entry pathways and FDA approved drugs active against SARS-Cov-2

Dittmar, Mark; Lee, Jae Seung; Whig, Kanupriya; Segrist, Elisha; Li, Minghua; Kamalia, Brinda; Castellana, Lauren; Ayyanathan, Kasirajan; Truitt, Rachel; Yang, Wenli; Jurado, Kellie; Samby, Kirandeep; Ramage, Holly; Schultz, David C.; Cherry, Sara

There is an urgent need for antivirals to treat the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2. To identify new candidates we screened a repurposing library of ∼3,000 drugs. Screening in Vero cells finds few antivirals, while screening in human Huh7.5 cells validate 23 diverse antiviral drugs. Extending our studies to lung epithelial cells, we find that there are major differences in drug sensitivity and entry pathways used by SARS-CoV-2 in these cells. Entry in lung epithelial Calu-3 cells is pH-independent and requires TMPRSS2, while entry in Vero and Huh7.5 cells requires low pH and triggering by acid-dependent endosomal proteases. Moreover, we find 9 drugs are antiviral in respiratory cells, 7 of which have been used in humans, and 3 are FDA approved including Cyclosporine. We find that the antiviral activity of Cyclosporine is targeting Cyclophilin rather than Calcineurin revealing essential host targets that have the potential for rapid clinical implementation.