Early clinical experience with imatinib in COVID-19: searching for a dual effect

We have read with interest the recent articles by Chen et al.1 and Chan and colleagues,2 in which the antiviral action of favipiravir and sofosbuvir/daclatasvir against SARS-CoV-2 is assessed. Data reported by the authors are certainly instructive, but, in our opinion, finding drugs not only with antiviral effects, but also with immunomodulatory properties, would be more advantageous, since a heightened immune response has been observed in severe COVID-19.3 In this regard, tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) imatinib, originally designed to treat chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), has been also proposed as a possible therapy for COVID-194 given its antiviral and immunomodulatory effects observed in preclinical models, as well as the lower incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection reported among CML patients who were being treated with TKIs.

Source: Journal of Infection - February 4, 2021 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Alejandro Morales-Ortega, Luis Rivas-Prado, Bego ña Frutos-Pérez, Beatriz Jaenes-Barrios, Ana Isabel Farfán-Sedano, Carlos Javier García-Parra, Belén Hernández-Muniesa, Miguel Ángel Duarte-Millán, Elena Madroñal-Cerezo, Ana Ontañón-Nasarre, Jos Source Type: research