In silico drug repurposing in COVID-19: A network-based analysis

Pasquale Sibilio; Simone Bini; Giulia Fiscon; Marialuisa Sponziello; Federica Conte; Valeria Pecce; Cosimo Durante; Paola Paci; Rosa Falcone; Giuseppe Danilo Norata; Lorenzo Farina; Antonella Verrienti

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (Oct 2021)

In silico drug repurposing in COVID-19: A network-based analysis

Pasquale Sibilio,
Simone Bini,
Giulia Fiscon,
Marialuisa Sponziello,
Federica Conte,
Valeria Pecce,
Cosimo Durante,
Paola Paci,
Rosa Falcone,
Giuseppe Danilo Norata,
Lorenzo Farina,
Antonella Verrienti

Affiliations

Pasquale Sibilio: Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science “Antonio Ruberti”, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
Simone Bini: Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Giulia Fiscon: Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science “Antonio Ruberti”, National Research Council, Rome, Italy; Fondazione per la Medicina Personalizzata, Via Goffredo Mameli, 3/1, Genova, Italy
Marialuisa Sponziello: Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Federica Conte: Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science “Antonio Ruberti”, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
Valeria Pecce: Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Cosimo Durante: Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Paola Paci: Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science “Antonio Ruberti”, National Research Council, Rome, Italy; Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Corresponding author at: Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Rosa Falcone: Phase 1 Unit-Clinical Trial Center Gemelli University Hospital, Rome, Italy
Giuseppe Danilo Norata: Department of Excellence in Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan and Center for the Study of Atherosclerosis, SISA Bassini Hospital, Milan, Italy
Lorenzo Farina: Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Antonella Verrienti: Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 142
p. 111954

Abstract

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The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is a worldwide public health emergency. Despite the beginning of a vaccination campaign, the search for new drugs to appropriately treat COVID-19 patients remains a priority. Drug repurposing represents a faster and cheaper method than de novo drug discovery. In this study, we examined three different network-based approaches to identify potentially repurposable drugs to treat COVID-19. We analyzed transcriptomic data from whole blood cells of patients with COVID-19 and 21 other related conditions, as compared with those of healthy subjects. In addition to conventionally used drugs (e.g., anticoagulants, antihistaminics, anti-TNFα antibodies, corticosteroids), unconventional candidate compounds, such as SCN5A inhibitors and drugs active in the central nervous system, were identified. Clinical judgment and validation through clinical trials are always mandatory before use of the identified drugs in a clinical setting.

Published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

ISSN: 0753-3322 (Print); 1950-6007 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: France
LCC subjects: Medicine: Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biomedicine-and-pharmacotherapy

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Abstract

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