The investigational drug selectively inhibits dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, an important enzyme for the de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine-based nucleotides, in activated B and T immune cells. Such inhibition diminishes the pyrimidine pool in these cells, which subsequently exposes the cells to metabolic stress. It also diminishes the release of T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 17 (Th17) proinflammatory cytokines of IL-17 and IFN-γ, which reduces inflammation [154]. Interestingly, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibition also results in a direct antiviral effect, which has been exhibited in cells infected with hemorrhagic fever-causing viruses, cytomegalovirus, and influenza virus. In fact, IMU-838′s antiviral activity has been demonstrated in vitro against arenavirus, cytomegalovirus, influenza A virus, HCV, and HIV [157]. IMU-838 has also effectively promoted antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 [157]. Specifically, IMU-838 inhibited the replication of clinical isolates of SARS-CoV-2. In cellular assays, IMU-838 promoted the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity at concentrations lower than those that have been considered in previous and ongoing clinical trials [154,155,156,157]. Overall, IMU-838′s antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 as well as its selective immunomodulatory effect targeting activated immune cells appear to be interesting, particularly that it potentially prevents the virus reactivation that may happen with other immunomodulatory agents [157].