Remdesivir-ivermectin combination displays synergistic interaction with improved in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2

Jeffreys, Laura N; Pennington, Shaun H; Duggan, Jack; Caygill, Claire H; Lopeman, Rose C; Breen, Alastair F; Jinks, Jessica B; Ardrey, Alison; Donnellan, Samantha; Patterson, Edward I; Hughes, Grant L; Hong, David W; O’Neill, Paul M; Aljayyoussi, Ghaith; Owen, Andrew; Ward, Stephen A; Biagini, Giancarlo A

A key element for the prevention and management of COVID-19 is the development of effective therapeutics. Drug combination strategies of repurposed drugs offer several advantages over monotherapies, including the potential to achieve greater efficacy, the potential to increase the therapeutic index of drugs and the potential to reduce the emergence of drug resistance. Here, we report on the in vitro synergistic interaction between two FDA approved drugs, remdesivir and ivermectin resulting in enhanced antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. These findings warrant further investigations into the clinical potential of this combination, together with studies to define the underlying mechanism.