COVID-19: How Effective Are the Repurposed Drugs and Novel Agents in Treating the Infection?

• DOI: 10.18502/sjms.v17i4.12550
• Publication Date: 2022-12-30T08:45:04Z
• Authors: Chow Suet-May; Kuok Sin-Yee; Lee Jia-Qing; Goh Pey-Wen; Harleen Kaur A/P ...; Timothy Tan Zhi-Z...; Jhi-Biau Foo; Sharina Hamzah; Renukha Sellappans; Yow Hui-Yin
• Keywords: Infectious disease (medical specialty); FOS: Health sciences; Coronavirus Disease 2019 Research; Coronavirus Disease 2019; 03 medical and health sciences; Engineering; 0302 clinical medicine; Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; Virology; Health Sciences; Pathology; Intensive care medicine; Disease; Molecular Biology; Food and drug administration; Internal medicine; Pharmacology; Public health; Corona Virus; Pandemic; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); R; Life Sciences; Outbreak; Tocilizumab; Transmission (telecommunications); RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology; 3. Good health; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Coronavirus; Clinical trial; covid-19, sars-cov-2, treatment, drug repurposing, antiviral agents; Infectious Diseases; Electrical engineering; Role of Sigma Receptors in Cellular Signaling; Medicine; Compassionate Use; Drug; RS Pharmacy and materia medica; 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) induced by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has impacted the lives and wellbeing of many people. This globally widespread disease poses a significant public health concern that urges to discover an effective treatment. This review paper discusses the effectiveness of repurposed drugs used to treat COVID-19 and potential novel therapies for COVID-19. Among the various repurposed drugs, remdesivir is the only agent approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat COVID-19. On the other hand, several drugs have been listed in the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the FDA to treat COVID-19, including casirivimab and imdevimab, baricitinib (in combination with remdesivir), bamlanivimab, tocilizumab, and IL-6 inhibitors. In addition, in vitro and clinical studies have suggested cepharanthine, sotrovimab, and XAV-19 as potential treatments to manage COVID-19. Due to inadequate understanding of COVID-19 and the rapid mutation of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 remains a threat to global public health, with vaccination considered the most effective method to decrease COVID-19 transmission currently. Nevertheless, with the intense efforts of clinical researchers globally, more promising treatments for COVID-19 will be established in the future.