SYNOPSIS
Ivermectin is an FDA-approved antiparasitic agent, being currently investigated in COVID-19 patients.
TITLE
Ivermectin: an award-winning drug with expected antiviral activity against COVID-19
CITATION
Formiga FR, Leblanc R, de Souza Rebouças J, Farias LP, de Oliveira RN, Pena L. (2021). Ivermectin: an award-winning drug with expected antiviral activity against COVID-19. J Control Release. 329:758-761. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.10.009. Epub 2020 Oct 7. PMID: 33038449; PMCID: PMC7539925.
SUMMARY
Ivermectin is an FDA-approved broad-spectrum antiparasitic agent with demonstrated antiviral activity against a number of DNA and RNA viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Despite this promise, the antiviral activity of ivermectin has not been consistently proven in vivo. While ivermectin’s activity against SARS-CoV-2 is currently under investigation in patients, insufficient emphasis has been placed on formulation challenges. Here, we discuss challenges surrounding the use of ivermectin in the context of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and how novel formulations employing micro- and nanotechnologies may address these concerns.