Gilteritinib: Repurposing of AXL-targeting kinase inhibitors against COVID-19

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is an ongoing infection outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel positive single-stranded, enveloped RNA virus belonging to the genus Betacoronavirus. During the pandemic, the SARS-CoV-2 subvariants evolved rapidly with enhanced transmissibility, and became a global public health threat as its alarmingly rising rate of infection led to excessive mortality. According to the WHO data, COVID-19 caused more than 6 million deaths and affected 215 countries. Although vaccines are beneficial for preventing hospitalization, reducing severe illness and deaths from COVID-19, the constantly mutated Spike protein under high selection pressure leading to off-target or immune evasion which warrants additional therapeutic strategies. Therefore, it is important to identify and test potential therapeutic targets against proteins that are highly conserved among multiple coronaviruses for clinical drug development to combat SARS-COV-2. While research for new therapies continues, the cost-effective and rapid repurposing of existing therapeutics may provide a viable treatment alternative for COVID-19.