Recently, the Wuhan Institute of Virology/Biosafety Science Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Emergency Prevention and Control Drug Engineering Technology Research Center of the Academy of Military Medicine of the Academy of Military Sciences have carried out joint research and made important progress in the screening of drugs to inhibit the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). progress. The relevant research results were published in Cell Research (Cell Research), an internationally renowned academic journal with independent intellectual property rights in China, under the title "Remdesivir and chloroquine effectively inhibit the recently emerged novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Vitro" ("Redazevir and chloroquine phosphate can effectively inhibit novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)").

This study shows that on Vero E6 cells, the half effective concentration EC50 of repazevir (Remdesivir, GS-5734) to 2019-nCoV is 0.77 uM (micromole per liter), and the selection index SI is greater than 129. The EC50 of chloroquine phosphate (Chloroquine) is 1.13 uM and SI is greater than 88, indicating that the above two drugs can effectively inhibit 2019-nCoV infection at the cellular level, and their effects on human body have yet to be clinically verified.

Redsivir (Remdesivir,GS-5734) is a nucleoside analog currently in phase II and III clinical trials for the treatment of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Chloroquine phosphate (Chloroquine) has been used in the treatment of malaria since the 1940 s and later in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The preliminary results of the above two drugs effectively inhibiting 2019 novel coronavirus infection at the cellular level have been reported to the relevant departments of the state, provinces and cities in various forms. In order to serve the prevention and control of the epidemic situation, the two parties jointly declare: among the above-mentioned drugs with anti -2019 novel coronavirus effect, we will not apply for relevant patents for chloroquine phosphate, which has been listed in China and can be fully supplied independently, so as to encourage relevant enterprises to participate in the prevention and control of the epidemic situation; for the drug Ridecavir, which has not been listed in China and has intellectual property barriers, we will be based on international practice, from the perspective of protecting national interests, China's invention patent (the use of anti -2019 novel coronavirus) was declared on January 21, and it will enter major countries in the world through the PCT (Patent Cooperation Agreement). If relevant foreign enterprises intend to contribute to the prevention and control of the epidemic in China, we both agree that we will not require the implementation of the rights claimed by the patent for the time being if the country needs it, and hope to work with foreign pharmaceutical companies to make a modest contribution to the prevention and control of the epidemic.

Researcher Wang Manli of Wuhan Institute of Virus, Associate Researcher Cao Ruiyuan of National Emergency Prevention and Control Drug Engineering Technology Research Center of Military Medical Research Institute, Associate Researcher Zhang Lei of Wuhan Institute of Virus, Associate Researcher Yang Xing Lou are the co-first authors of the paper, Researcher Xiao Gengfu of Wuhan Institute of Virus Prevention and Control, Researcher Zhong Wu of National Emergency Drug Engineering Technology Research Center of Military Medical Research Institute, and Researcher Hu Zhihong of Wuhan Institute of Virus as co-author, jia Liu, Mingyue Xu and Zhengli Shi are the co-authors. Also participating in the project were Wang Xi, Wu Yan, Shang Weijuan, Zhang Huanyu, Li Yufeng, Hu Hengrui, Jiang Xiaming, Sun Yuan, etc. from Wuhan Virus Institute. This work is strongly supported by the National Virus Resource Bank and the Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory, as well as the "Major New Drug Creation" National Science and Technology Major Project (2018ZX09711003), the National Natural Science Foundation Innovation Group Project (31621061) and the Hubei Province 2019 New Pneumonia Emergency Science and Technology Funded by the research project.

Paper Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-020-0282-0

In vitro antiviral activity test of drugs against novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)