The worldwide health emergency of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the absence of a specific treatment for this new coronavirus have led to the use of computational strategies (drug repositioning) to search for treatments. The aim of this work is to identify FDA-approved drugs with the potential for binding to the spike structural glycoprotein at the hinge site, receptor binding motif (RBM), and fusion peptide (FP) using molecular docking simulations. It was identified drugs that binding to amino acids crucial for down to up conformational change, receptor recognition, and fusion of the viral membrane with the cell membrane. Results show some drugs that bind to hinge site amino acids (Varenicline, or even steroids as Betamethasone) while other drugs bind to crucial amino acids for RBM (Naldemedine, Atovaquone, Cefotetan) or FP (Edarbi, Maraviroc, Difluprednate);and highlights the Saquinavir that binds both the RBM and the FP. Therefore, these drugs could inhibit spike glycoprotein and prevent viral entry (possible anti-COVID-19 drugs). Several drugs are in clinical studies;focused on another pharmacological target (candesartan, Atovaquone, Losartan, Maviroc and Ritonavir) in this work we propose an additional target, the spike glycoprotein. These results can impact in the proposal of treatments that can inhibit the first steps virus replication cycle.
Repositioning of ligands that target spike glycoprotein as potential drugs against SARS-CoV-2