Repositioning of chlorpromazine in the treatment of COVID-19: study recovery

Resumen

The current global COVID-19 pandemic has affected an estimated 2,350,000 people and killed more than 160,000. We observed in the GHU of Paris psychiatry and neurosciences (Sainte-Anne site, Paris, France) a lower incidence of symptomatic forms of COVID-19 in patients (around 4%) than in our healthcare staff (around 14% of nurses and doctors). Similar feedback is given to us by psyCOVID units in France and abroad. These observations led us to formulate the hypothesis that chlorpromazine (CPZ) could have a prophylactic action on SARS-CoV-2 and would protect patients from the symptomatic and virulent forms of this infection. This hypothesis is consistent with the known antiviral properties of CPZ. In addition to its classic antipsychotic effects,in vitro also demonstrated antiviral activity of this phenothiazine via inhibition of clathrin-dependent endocytosis. Recently, studies have shown an anti-MERS-CoV and anti-SARS-CoV-1 effect of CPZ.