The pharmacological development of direct acting agents for emerging needed therapy against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2

• Published in: Journal of the Chinese Medical Association Vol. 83; no. 8; pp. 712 - 718
• Main Authors: Wang, Sheng-Fan, Chen, Kuan-Hsuan, Wang, Szu-Yu, Yarmishyn, Aliaksandr A, Lai, Wei-Yi, Lin, Yi-Ying, Wang, Mong-Lien, Chou, Shih-Jie, Yang, Yi-Ping, Chang, Yuh-Lih
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01.08.2020
• Subjects: Active Transport, Cell Nucleus - drug effects; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Betacoronavirus - genetics; Coronavirus Infections - drug therapy; COVID-19; Drug Development; Genome, Viral; Humans; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral - drug therapy; Review; SARS-CoV-2
• ISSN: 1726-4901; 1728-7731
• DOI: 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000353

Recently, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was quickly identified as the causal pathogen leading to the outbreak of SARS-like illness all over the world. As the SARS-CoV-2 infection pandemic proceeds, many efforts are being dedicated to the development of diverse treatment strategies. Increasing evidence showed potential therapeutic agents directly acting against SARS-CoV-2 virus, such as interferon, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, viral entry blockers, neuraminidase inhibitor, vaccine, antibody agent targeting the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome, natural killer cells, and nucleocytoplasmic trafficking inhibitor. To date, several direct anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents have demonstrated promising in vitro and clinical efficacy. This article reviews the current and future development of direct acting agents against SARS-CoV-2.