“Present analyses and numerous observational studies indicate that age-associated Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the high mortality of older adults and the elderly. Immediate availability for targeted experimental and clinical interrogations of potential COVID-19 pandemic mitigation agents, namely Vitamin D and Quercetin, as well as of the highly selective (K_i, 600 pm) intrinsically-specific FURIN inhibitor (a1-antitrypsin Portland (a1-PDX), is considered an encouraging factor. Observations reported in this contribution are intended to facilitate follow-up targeted experimental studies and, if warranted, randomized clinical trials to identify and validate therapeutically-viable interventions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, gene expression profiles of Vitamin D and Quercetin activities and their established safety records as over-the-counter medicinal substances strongly argue that they may represent viable candidates for further considerations of their potential utility as COVID-19 pandemic mitigation agents. Significantly, the interventional randomized clinical trial entitled “Effect of Vitamin D Administration on Prevention and Treatment of Mild Forms of Suspected COVID-19” was listed on ClinicalTrials.gov website (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04334005 ) with the starting date April 10 and completion date June 30, 2020.”

CHEMRXIV