New lab-based studies show that two existing drugs, including one developed by a researcher at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, inhibit SARS-CoV-2the virus that causes COVID-19 from infecting human cells in a dish.

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Both drugs, vacuolin-1 and apilimod, originally developed years ago, target a large enzyme called PIKfyve kinase.

Before this study, little was known about this enzyme's role in COVID-19 infection. The work, which will need to be replicated in human trials, suggests a potential new target for COVID-19 therapies.