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Repurposing existing medications for coronavirus disease 2019: protocol for a rapid and living systematic review

Benjamin P Geisler1,2, Lara Zahabi3, Adam Edward Lang4

  • 1Ludwig Maximilian University, Marchionistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany. bgeisler@post.harvard.edu.

Systematic Reviews
|May 8, 2021
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

This systematic review prioritizes drug repurposing for COVID-19 treatments by analyzing existing data. It aims to guide future research on effective repurposed medications for coronavirus disease 2019.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Systematic Reviews

Background:

  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) currently lacks specific, confirmed treatments.
  • Evidence from related coronaviruses (SARS, MERS) and preliminary in vitro/clinical data may inform potential therapies.
  • Drug repurposing offers a promising avenue for developing novel COVID-19 treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and prioritize drugs for repurposing against COVID-19.
  • To identify compounds with potential efficacy based on existing scientific literature.
  • To guide future research and clinical efforts in the development of repurposed COVID-19 therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review including in vitro, animal, and clinical studies.
  • Evaluation of 34 specific compounds and 4 drug groups identified in a prior scoping review.
  • Inclusion of studies from traditional databases and pre-print servers, assessed using GRADE methodology.

Main Results:

  • The review identifies and prioritizes specific drug candidates for COVID-19 repurposing.
  • Efficacy outcomes include clinical improvement, viral clearance, mortality, and hospitalization metrics.
  • The GRADE methodology ensures rigorous assessment of evidence quality.

Conclusions:

  • A systematic approach is crucial for identifying effective repurposed drugs for COVID-19.
  • Continuous integration of new evidence into a living systematic review is necessary.
  • Prioritization of research efforts can accelerate the development of vital COVID-19 treatments.
Keywords:
COVID-19MERS-CoVMiddle East respiratory syndrome CoronavirusRepurposedRepurposingSARSSARS-CoV2Severe acute respiratory syndrome

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