SUMMARY
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a
worldwide outbreak, known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Alongside
vaccines, antiviral therapeutics is an important part of the healthcare response to
COVID-19. We previously reported that TEMPOL, a small molecule stable nitroxide, inactivated the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of SARS-CoV-2
by causing the oxidative degradation of its iron-sulfur cofactors. Here, we
demonstrate that TEMPOL is effective in vivo in inhibiting viral replication in
the Syrian hamster model. The inhibitory effect of TEMPOL on SARS-CoV-2 replication was observed in animals when the drug was administered 2 h before infection in a high-risk exposure model. These data support the potential application
of TEMPOL as a highly efficacious antiviral against SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans.
21/10/2022