A medicine for gout could also be used to treat Covid, according to new research.
Probenecid is an approved medication that’s primarily used to treat gout. It has been on the market for more than 40 years and has minimal side effects.
A new study, published in Nature’s Scientific Reports journal, has found that this drug has broad antiviral properties, making it a prime candidate to combat not only SARS-CoV-2 infection but also other common and deadly respiratory viruses such as flu.
"There’s really nothing out there to safely fight these viruses," explained the study's lead author, Professor Ralph Tripp, of the University of Georgia in the United States.
“This antiviral works for all RNA respiratory viruses we tested, including SARS-CoV-2. RSV, coronavirus and flu all circulate in the same season.
"Bottom line is you can potentially reduce infection and disease using this one oral drug.”
He explained that viruses work by co-opting a person’s own cells to replicate and produce more of the virus. But probenecid blocks that replication process, keeping the virus from infecting the individual’s cells.
In clinical development at the pharmaceutical company TrippBio, Prof Tripp showed the drug works as a prophylactic prior to virus exposure and as a post-exposure treatment in animal models against Covid and flu.
The drug also has proven effective in fighting the RSV in vitro, and in vivo studies are in progress.
Although the drug would primarily be used after a person has tested positive for the virus, the prophylactic findings mean people with known exposures could also potentially take the drug to prevent getting sick.
The current go-to treatments for seriously ill COVID-19 patients, remdesivir and monoclonal antibodies, can only be given through an intravenous drip (IV). And by the time a Covid patient needs them, it’s often too late.
Prof Tripp said: “These treatments have seen some effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2, but they’re very expensive and very hard to come by.
“In reality, there are only a handful of options that can actually be used because of the cost, restricted IV usage, and lack of access. That’s not very useful to the world.”
But he said that probenecid is widely available and doctors could prescribe a pill to patients who could pick it up at their local chemist.
Repurposing drugs that are already approved to work against one problem is common. For example, remdesivir was originally intended to fight Ebola virus, but when it showed some promise in fighting coronavirus, it was enlisted to battle Covid-19.
In addition to preventing illness before it starts, Prof Tripp says probenecid may also potentially increase the efficacy of other treatments.
He explained that probenecid is already used to up the potency of some antibiotics, so it’s possible the medication could work in conjunction with other Covid treatments as well.
Now the researchers are investigating what dosage of probenecid could have the biggest impact fighting viruses in people.
TrippBio is set to begin clinical trials of the medication within the year.
Prof Tripp added: “SARS-CoV-2, RSV and flu have a huge impact on health systems throughout the world.
“Probenecid has a potent antiviral effect against these viruses, and it works safely.”
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