CEA: A preclinical study shows that hydroxychloroquine has no antiviral effect on SARS-CoV-2 in vivo
A study on the effects of hydroxychloroquine in macaques infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, used alone or in combination with azithromycin, have been published on Nature, July 22th. Scientists from the CEA, CNRS, Inserm, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Saclay, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and Aix-Marseille Université have been involved in the study, which has been carried out under the aegis of the multidisciplinary consortium, REACTing.
The study, launched in February 2020, evaluates the antiviral effect of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in vivo. The HCQ was administered before infection, as a prophylactic treatment, or in the first days after infection to reduce the viral load. The possible anti-inflammatory effects of HCQ were not tested.
The study first demonstrate the relevance of the non-human primate (NHP) model. This showed that the disease observed in macaques is very similar to the disease observed in the majority of COVID-19 patients who do not need hospitalization.
REACTing is a multidisciplinary consortium that brings together the partners in Aviesan, the French National Alliance for Life Sciences and Health (CEA, CNRS, INRAE, Inria, Inserm, Institut Pasteur, IRD, CPU and the Conference of Chairmen of Regional and University Hospital Centers) and is coordinated by Inserm.
