Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 18, 2025

Identifying PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors with Surface Plasmon Resonance Technology
Published on: May 2, 2025
Plitidepsin: a Repurposed Drug for the Treatment of COVID-19
1IrsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Badalona, Spain mmartinez@irsicaixa.es.
Abstract:
Finding antivirals to reduce coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) morbidity and mortality has been challenging. Large randomized clinical trials that aimed to test four repurposed drugs, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir-ritonavir, interferon beta 1a, and remdesivir, have shown that these compounds lack an impact on the COVID-19 course. Although the phase III COVID-19 vaccine trial results are encouraging, the search for effective COVID-19 therapeutics should not stop. Recently, plitidepsin (aplidin) demonstrated highly effective preclinical activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Its antiviral activity was 27.5-fold more potent than that of remdesivir (K. M. White, R. Rosales, S. Yildiz, T. Kehrer, et al., Science, 2021, https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2021/01/22/science.abf4058). Plitidepsin, a repurposed drug developed for the treatment of multiple myeloma, targets the host translation cofactor eEF1A. Plitidepsin has shown efficacy in animal models and phase I/II human trials. Although plitidepsin is administered intravenously and its toxicity profile remains to be fully characterized, this compound may be a promising alternative COVID-19 therapeutic.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
EPS and iPS Cells in Disease Research
Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists
These agonists bind to the IPR receptor situated on the plasma membrane of the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. This binding triggers a cascade of reactions known as the GS-AC-cAMP-PKA pathway. This pathway results in the relaxation of smooth muscle...
Parkinson's Disease: Treatment
Parkinson's Disease is primarily a result of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The cornerstone of...
Depolarizing Blockers: Pharmocokinetics
Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by...

