Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 19, 2025
Drug Repurposing Hypothesis Generation Using the "RE:fine Drugs" System
Published on: December 11, 2016
Repurposing Existing Medications for Coronavirus Disease 2019: Protocol for a Rapid and Living Systematic Review
Benjamin P Geisler1,2, Lara Zahabi3, Adam E Lang4
1Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Background:
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has no known specific treatments. However, there might be in vitro and early clinical data as well as evidence from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome that could inform clinicians and researchers. This systematic review aims to create priorities for future research of drugs repurposed for COVID-19.
Methods:
This systematic review will include in vitro, animal, and clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of a list of 34 specific compounds and four groups of drugs identified in a previous scoping review. Studies will be identified both from traditional literature databases and pre-print servers. Outcomes assessed will include time to clinical improvement, time to viral clearance, mortality, length of hospital stay, and proportions transferred to the intensive care unit and intubated, respectively. We will use the GRADE methodology to assess the quality of the evidence.
Discussion:
The challenge posed by COVID-19 requires not just a rapid review of drugs that can be repurposed but also a sustained effort to integrate new evidence into a living systematic review.
Systematic Review Registration:
PROSPERO 2020 CRD42020175648.
Insights
This systematic review prioritizes drug repurposing for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by analyzing existing evidence. It aims to guide future research for effective COVID-19 treatments.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
- Systematic Reviews
Background:
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) lacks specific treatments, necessitating exploration of repurposed drugs.
- Evidence from related coronaviruses (SARS, MERS) and preliminary COVID-19 data can inform treatment strategies.
- This review focuses on 34 compounds and four drug classes identified in a prior scoping review.
Approach:
- Systematic review of in vitro, animal, and clinical studies on 34 compounds and four drug groups.
- Literature search encompassing traditional databases and pre-print servers.
- Assessment of outcomes including clinical improvement, viral clearance, mortality, and hospitalization metrics using GRADE methodology.
Key Points:
- Identified 34 specific compounds and four drug groups for efficacy evaluation.
- Incorporated evidence from related coronaviruses and diverse study types.
- Utilized GRADE methodology for rigorous evidence quality assessment.
Conclusions:
- A rapid review of repurposed drugs is crucial for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A living systematic review approach is necessary to continuously integrate new evidence.
- Prioritizing research efforts in drug repurposing is essential for managing COVID-19.
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