2. Academic Validation
  3. The PIKfyve Inhibitor Apilimod: A Double-Edged Sword against COVID-19

The PIKfyve Inhibitor Apilimod: A Double-Edged Sword against COVID-19

  • Cells. 2020 Dec 27;10(1):30. doi: 10.3390/cells10010030.
Maksim V Baranov 1,  Frans Bianchi 1,  Geert van den Bogaart 1 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Molecular Immunology and Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
  • 2 Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
PMID: 33375410 DOI: 10.3390/cells10010030
Abstract

The PIKfyve Inhibitor apilimod is currently undergoing clinical trials for treatment of COVID-19. However, although apilimod might prevent viral invasion by inhibiting host cell proteases, the same proteases are critical for antigen presentation leading to T cell activation and there is good evidence from both in vitro studies and the clinic that apilimod blocks Antiviral immune responses. We therefore warn that the immunosuppression observed in many COVID-19 patients might be aggravated by apilimod.

Keywords

COVID-19; LAM-002A; PIKfyve; SARS-CoV-2; STA-5326; apilimod.

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