Combination antiviral therapy with lopinavir/ritonavir, arbidol and interferon-α1b for COVID-19

Xiangyang Xie1, Yuanliang Jiang2, Yuan Zeng1

  • 1Department of Pharmacy, General Hospital of Central Theater of the PLA, Wuhan, China.

Antiviral Therapy
|June 5, 2020
PubMed

Insights

A novel lopinavir/ritonavir combination therapy shows promise for treating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus causing coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This approach is needed due to inconsistent results from current treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • The global COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, lacks a standard therapeutic guideline due to the virus's severity and high infectivity.
  • Current treatments in China, such as ribavirin and interferon-α, show variable efficacy, highlighting the urgent need for novel antiviral strategies.

Observation:

  • This case report details the administration of a lopinavir/ritonavir-based combination antiviral regimen to a patient diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  • The patient's response to this specific combination therapy was monitored.

Findings:

  • The lopinavir/ritonavir combination was utilized as a therapeutic intervention for a patient with SARS-CoV-2.
  • This case provides preliminary data on the application of this regimen in a clinical setting.

Implications:

  • The findings suggest a potential alternative or adjunctive therapy for COVID-19 management.
  • Further clinical trials are warranted to establish the safety and efficacy of lopinavir/ritonavir-based regimens for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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