Fluvoxamine and amantadine: central nervous system acting drugs repositioned for COVID-19 as early intervention

Abstract

Background: Whereas the World faces an unprecedented pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, repositioning existing drugs to treat COVID-19 disease is urgently awaited, provided that high-quality scientific evidence supporting safety and efficacy in this new indication is gathered. Efforts concerning drug repositioning to COVID-19 were mostly focused on antiviral drugs or drugs targeting the late phase of the disease. Methods: Based on published research, the pharmacological activities of fluvoxamine and amantadine, two well-known drugs widely used in clinical practice for psychiatric and neurological diseases, respectively, have been reviewed, focusing on their potential therapeutic importance in the treatment of COVID-19. Result: Several preclinical and clinical reports were identified suggesting that these two drugs might exert protective effects in the early phases of COVID-19. Conclusion: Preclinical and early clinical evidence are presented indicating that these drugs hold promise to prevent COVID-19 progression when administered early during infection.