Koo,

The news release contained the following: "...Gordon et al, identified BRD2/4 as a binding partner of viral protein E. Apabetalone was shown to disrupt this interaction."

The response you got from RVX when you asked for clarification of the statement "Apabetalone was shown to disrupt this interaction" was

"Apabetalone may combat the SARS CoV-2 virus by impeding viral entry and replication. Through its mechanism of action, apabetalone may potentially inhibit the expression of the receptor utilized by the novel coronavirus particles to gain entry into human cells and by disrupting viral host protein interactions."

You can see the problem with the response - both the proposed effects (i. impeding viral entry and replication and ii. disrupting viral host protein interactions) are preceded by the word 'may.'  In other words, these effects are possible but haven't been demonstrated yet (or, if they have, the information is not yet public).

So far, in the public realm, apabetalone has not been 'shown' to disrupt the interaction between BRD2/4 and viral protein E. Perhaps unpublished data do exist to support the statement and the results will be available soon. The labs that were testing compounds (including apabetalone) in collaboration with University of California researchers who published the viral protein interaction map were expected to produce results quickly (some within a week).  Hopefully, one of the labs has produced evidence of an anti-viral effect of apabetalone, but so far we haven't seen it. 

Jupe