Repurposed Therapeutic Agents Targeting the Ebola Virus
Citation: Sweiti H, Ekwunife O, Jaschinski T, Lhachimi SK. Repurposed therapeutic agents targeting the Ebola virus: a systematic review. Current Therapeutic Research. 2017 Jan 1;84:10-21.
Summary: Repurposed drugs for the treatment of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) have not been recommended for use.
Eleven repurposed drugs were reviewed for the treatment of EVD. Prior to recommending these repurposed drugs, strong evidence about the quantity and quality of the drugs needs to be established from comprehensive pre-clinical and clinical trials.
EVD repurposed drugs are drugs that have already been approved and established for a different therapeutic use, but have also been identified with the potential to have anti-EVD therapeutic effects. As drug development for anti-EVD agents have been overlooked by pharmaceutical companies and investors, investigating repurposed drugs will reduce the cost and shorten the time needed to develop and transport the drug. Based on the thirty-seven studies reviewed, a total of eleven repurposed drugs (Chloroquine, Amodiaquine, Toremiphene and Clomiphene, IFNs, Convalescent blood products, Amiodarone, Sertraline, Bepridil, Favipiravir, and Azithromycin) were identified, with varying degrees of evidence supporting the mechanism and usage as an anti-EVD therapeutic agent. It is recommended that pre-clinical and clinical trials are conducted to find evidence that may prove the efficacy of the repurposed drugs mentioned.