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Updated: May 20, 2026

Use of Viral Entry Assays and Molecular Docking Analysis for the Identification of Antiviral Candidates against Coxsackievirus A16
Published on: July 15, 2019
Fluoxetine is a potent inhibitor of coxsackievirus replication
Jun Zuo1, Kevin K Quinn, Steve Kye
1Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Abstract:
No antiviral drugs currently exist for the treatment of enterovirus infections, which are often severe and potentially life threatening. Molecular screening of small molecule libraries identified fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, as a potent inhibitor of coxsackievirus replication. Fluoxetine did not interfere with either viral entry or translation of the viral genome. Instead, fluoxetine and its metabolite norfluoxetine markedly reduced the synthesis of viral RNA and protein. In view of its favorable pharmacokinetics and safety profile, fluoxetine warrants additional study as a potential antiviral agent for enterovirus infections.
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