Disruption of SARS-CoV-2 Virus Replication in the Presence of Potassium Ribosate

The Potassium Ribosate, which has been shown to have an enhancer effect in limiting replication and viability in cancer cells, also appears to show promise in alterating viral replication. To determine its activity against SARS-CoV-2, an inhibition assay was performed using 26 strains obtained from clinical samples from patients isolated on the Vero E6 cell line. For this, the strains were serially diluted and treated with 125mM Potassium Ribosate. The Potassium Ribosate was administered at a single concentration (125mM stock) in two ways: 24 hours before infection and in the culture medium after removal of the infectious inoculum. The culture medium was changed 3 days after inoculation. Seven days after inoculation, a visual reading of the cytopathic effect (ECP) and RT-qRCP were performed to calculate the viral load. Reduction of 3log (9Ct) between with or without Ribosate was considerate a very good response. Of the 26 evaluable strains, a reduction in viral replication was observed in 13 (50%) and 16 (61.5%) of the pre-treatment and treatment study (p=0.29). This response was good or very good in 10 (38.4%) and 11 (42.3%) (p=0.4), respectively. Potassium Ribosate administration reduced the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 cultures in Vero E6 cells in more than half of the cases, both at infection and pre-infection administration.