Micronized Formulation of Ivermectin-Doxycycline: A Promising Anti-Viral Approach

Ivermectin has been reported in recent studies as a miracle drug in the treatment of COVID-19, but it is only effective at higher doses (12 mg/day), and this higher dose is also associated with several side effects, including cardiac toxicity. Because COVID-19 primarily affects the respiratory system, particularly the lungs, the current proposal emphasises the development of an ivermectin carrier system that directly targets the lungs to ensure that the maximum amount of drug reaches the target site. A drug delivery system that combines both drugs assist in minimising the dose and resolving dose-related toxicity issues. A combination of ivermectin and doxycycline carrier systems in the micron size range can be useful in the treatment of COVID-19 to reduce dose-related toxicity and increase efficacy. A combination of the polymers PLGA and PEG has been chosen for this. Both polymers can be chemically conjugated in the presence of EDC/NHS. PLGA will aid in drug penetration from the epithelial layers and will increase drug bioavailability. Biological interventions in silico and in vivo will be used to evaluate and validate the mechanistic approaches. Finally, a combination of two drugs, ivermectin and doxcycline, can be used to treat COVID through lung targeting.