The new research offers hope that other drugs which are safe for humans can be repurposed to treat Covid.
Senior author Professor Ursula Rescher, of the University of Muenster, said: “A straightforward approach to speed up drug development at lower costs is repurposing.
“We tested the antiviral potential of the anti fungal itraconazole and the antidepressant fluoxetine on the production of infectious SARS-CoV-2 particles.
“We also evaluated the added benefit of a combinatory use of these host-directed drugs with the direct acting antiviral remdesivir.
“Drug treatments were well-tolerated and potently impaired viral replication.”