Identification and Development of Therapeutics for COVID-19.

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Epidemiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 emerged in late 2019, causing a global pandemic. Previous human coronaviruses, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, offer valuable insights for managing COVID-19.
• While prior epidemics were controlled by public health measures, COVID-19 requires rapid therapeutic development.

Approach:

• Candidate therapeutics for COVID-19 were identified through four main strategies: adapting clinical approaches for related diseases, leveraging virological properties, considering host response, and data-driven identification.
• These approaches include repurposing existing drugs and developing novel therapies based on disease pathology, viral characteristics, and host immune responses.

Key Points:

• Several candidate therapeutics have been authorized by regulatory bodies like the FDA, with many more undergoing investigation.
• The large scale of the COVID-19 crisis provides an unprecedented opportunity to gather data on therapeutic efficacy.
• Studying these therapeutics offers insights into managing coronavirus diseases and evaluating strategies for identifying treatments for emerging infectious diseases.

Conclusions:

• The rapid identification and investigation of COVID-19 therapeutics build upon existing knowledge of SARS and MERS.
• The ongoing research is crucial for managing the current pandemic and improving responses to future emerging diseases.