HMGCR and influenza: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are associated with milder disease and improved outcomes of influenza infection in humans, although the mechanism is unknown and clinical trials have offered conflicting results.16, , –19 Statins have been shown to inhibit endocytosis of influenza virus28 and HMPV enters cells by endocytosis,29 making the identification of statins and the endocytosis inhibitor chlorprothixene interesting.