Fluvoxamine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that is approved for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), including depression.

Studies show that fluvoxamine binds to the sigma-1 receptor in immune cells, resulting in reduced production of inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory genes (NIH,2021). According to The Medical letter published on the 3^rd of May 2021, sigma-1 agonism inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication and modulates the inflammatory response. It assumes that fluvoxamine theoretically prevents the development of life-threatening cytokine storm and acute respiratory distress syndrome in coronavirus COVID-19.

Fluvoxamine has shown to prevent clinical deterioration (such as shortness of breath and hypoxemia) in patients who tested positive for COVID-19 (The medical letter, 2021).