Roberto Antolovic

Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia

Nano-based Approach for Direct Lung Delivery of Azithromycin and Hydroxychloroquine to Combat Emerging Viral (SARS-CoV-2) Infection

Abstract

Since mid-December 2019 until May the 2020 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) originating from Wuhan (Hubei Province, China) has infected over 4 million laboratory-confirmed cases worldwide with a case-fatality rate varying widely from country to country. Among candidate drugs to treat the COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 are emphasized the macrolide antibiotic Azithromycin (AZI) and the antimalarial agent Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). HCQ has been demonstrated to have antiviral and specific anti-SARS-CoV activity in vitro. While AZI has been shown to be active in vitro against Zika and Ebola viruses and to prevent severe respiratory tract infections when administrated to patients suffering viral infection. The modelling and designing of specific NPs which could accommodate AZI and HCQ combination will allow the development of novel nanodrug that could adjuvate the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and reduce COVID-19 complications.

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