Overview:

**COVID-19 RELATION**
Camostate mesylate is a potent serine protease inhibitor used as a possible treatment against some cancers, minor viral infections, and pancreatitis. SARS-COV-2 depends on a key human transmembrane serine protease enzyme TMPRSS2 for cell entry. Camostat, a known inhibitor of TMPRSS2 has been observed to control infection of the lung cells by blocking the MERS-S, SARS-S and SRAS-2-S entry by selectively inhibiting the TMPRSS2 protein, hence halting the Viral S-TMPRSS2 fusion, which is pivotal for the virus to enter the cells.**

A serine protease inhibitor inhibiting plasmin, kallikrein, thrombin as well as trypsin, which attenuates pancreatic fibrosis (1). Reduces weight gain and improves metabol-ism in obese rodent models (2). In clinical use (in Japan) for pancreatitis (3). Inhibits influenza virus replication in human tracheal epithelial cells (4). Reduces infection of Calu-3 lung cells by SARS-CoV-2 (responsible for COVID-19) via inhibition of the serine protease TMPRSS2 required for viral spike protein priming (5).

References:

1. J Gibo et al. Lab. Invest. 2005 85:75

2. K Albarazanji et al. Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 2019 316:G653

3. M Ueda et al. Nephron 2015 129:223

4. M Yamaya et al. Pulm. Pharmacol. Ther. 2015 33:66

5. M Hoffmann et al. Cell 2020 181:1