Potential Therapeutic Options for COVID-19: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Area of Science:

• * Infectious Diseases
• * Virology
• * Pharmacology

Background:

• * The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 presents significant challenges in developing safe and effective treatments.
• * Limited availability of drugs, even for off-label use, necessitates exploring various therapeutic options.
• * Existing medications and novel approaches are under investigation for treating COVID-19.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To systematically review and summarize current information on potential COVID-19 treatment strategies.
• * To provide health professionals with up-to-date data on SARS-CoV-2 therapies.
• * To discuss the efficacy of controversial treatments and reconsidered drugs.

Main Methods:

• * Systematic literature search conducted across PubMed, Science Direct, LitCovid, and clinical trial registries.
• * Keywords included "coronavirus drug therapy," "passive immunotherapy for COVID-19," "convalescent plasma therapy (CPT)," "drugs for COVID-19 treatment," "SARS-CoV-2," and specific drug names.
• * Inclusion of systematic reviews, case presentations, and recent clinical guidelines.

Main Results:

• * Several therapeutic avenues are being explored, including repurposed antivirals, antimalarials, and biological agents.
• * The review discusses controversial treatments like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and renin-angiotensin system inhibitors.
• * Passive immunotherapy and convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) are among the discussed treatment options.

Conclusions:

• * A comprehensive understanding of available and emerging COVID-19 therapies is crucial for clinical practice.
• * Continued research and data synthesis are vital to guide treatment decisions for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• * This review offers a consolidated overview of potential treatments for healthcare providers managing COVID-19 patients.