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COVID-19 treatment: is there any hope for existing drugs?
Scientists around the world are actively working on a vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-Cov-2. At the same time, it is possible that existing drugs can help in the fight against this disease.
Scientists from different countries are looking for a medicine against COVID-19
To date, around 70 studies have begun and are underway on the creation of a vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 . However, even if it is developed already in 2020, it is unlikely that mass vaccination of the population will be possible in the near future. Therefore, so far there are, in fact, only two options for combating coronavirus: either prolonging the action of quarantine measures, or treating this disease with existing medicines .
Three groups of drugs against coronavirus
Currently, scientists are testing three groups of drugs that may be able to help patients with COVID-19. These are antiviral drugs, immunomodulators and respiratory agents.
Схематичное изображение вируса и легких человека
Antiviral drugs are designed to prevent the penetration of the virus into lung cells.
Antiviral drugs prevent the virus from entering the lung cells or prevent them from multiplying inside the cell. Such drugs are used to treat common flu, hepatitis C, as well as HIV infection, Ebola and, most importantly, SARS and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS), which are also caused by coronaviruses.
The second group of drugs - immunomodulators - is used to limit the excessive reaction of the immune system, which in itself can become life-threatening. Such drugs, for example, are used in the treatment of arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease.
The third group includes drugs that allow the lungs to continue to supply the blood with enough oxygen. They are used, in particular, for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a pathological process in which connective tissue proliferates in the walls of the alveoli (pulmonary vesicles). Because of this, the patient suffers from a chronic lack of oxygen, he develops rapid breathing, shortness of breath and dry reflex cough.
Antiviral drugs Remdesivir and Avigan
One of the drugs that scientists have hopes for is the American antiviral drug Remdesivir, used in the treatment of Ebola, and also proved to be effective in combating SARS and MERS. Chinese experts are now trying to find out whether this medication can help in the fight against COVID-19. The first research results should be published in April.
Ампула с препаратом Remdesivir
Remdesivir is being tested in Hamburg
In the United States, similar studies were started by the University of Nebraska in Omaha, and the Pentagon, in its own trials, uses this drug to treat American military coronavirus. In addition, three German hospitals are going to test Remdesivir - in Munich, Dusseldorf and Hamburg.
The Japanese antiviral drug Avigan with the active ingredient favipiravir, which is used for severe forms of influenza, is also in the spotlight of specialists. The drug has also been used successfully in the treatment of Ebola. Scientists around the world are currently testing its effectiveness against COVID-19 . Christian Drosten, director of the Institute of Virology at the Charite Hospital in Berlin, called the preliminary research results encouraging. Despite the fact that the final conclusions are still far away, many countries have already turned to Japan with a request for the wholesale supply of this medication.
The effectiveness of antimalarial drugs is in question
Meanwhile, the German pharmaceutical concern Bayer AG is re-equipping factories in Europe for the release of the drug against malaria Resochin with the active substance chloroquine. The company plans not only to supply this medicine to German hospitals, but also to supply it free of charge to other countries. A clinical study conducted in a hospital in Marseille showed the effectiveness of chloroquine for the treatment of pneumonia COVID-19. So far, the medicine under the brand name Resochin has been produced only in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Indian authorities have banned the export of another anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine. Experts in a number of countries are also testing it as a treatment for patients infected with coronavirus.
However, a number of virologists, including Christian Drosten of Charite, are not convinced of the reliability of the results of the Marseille study. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also made similar doubts after President Donald Trump spoke out in favor of using chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in treating patients with COVID-19.
Medicines Against HIV, Cancer and MERS
Scientists admit that a combination of ritonavir and lopinavir, drugs used to suppress HIV replication, may also be effective. The drug "Kaletra" (the trade name for a combination of these substances) of the American pharmaceutical company AbbVie has already been used for experimental treatment of COVID-19 in China, Thailand and Singapore. The results of clinical tests, however, so far look unconvincing.
In addition, several other active substances that may be suitable for the treatment of coronavirus are also being tested. These include Leronlimab, which is used to treat patients with HIV and metastatic breast cancer, antibodies originally developed against MERS, and Brilacidin, which is used for inflammatory diseases of the intestines and oral mucosa.
COVID-19 treatment: is there any hope for existing drugs?
Scientists around the world are actively working on a vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-Cov-2. At the same time, it is possible that existing drugs can help in the fight against this disease.
Scientists from different countries are looking for a medicine against COVID-19
To date, around 70 studies have begun and are underway on the creation of a vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 . However, even if it is developed already in 2020, it is unlikely that mass vaccination of the population will be possible in the near future. Therefore, so far there are, in fact, only two options for combating coronavirus: either prolonging the action of quarantine measures, or treating this disease with existing medicines .
Three groups of drugs against coronavirus
Currently, scientists are testing three groups of drugs that may be able to help patients with COVID-19. These are antiviral drugs, immunomodulators and respiratory agents.
Схематичное изображение вируса и легких человека
Antiviral drugs are designed to prevent the penetration of the virus into lung cells.
Antiviral drugs prevent the virus from entering the lung cells or prevent them from multiplying inside the cell. Such drugs are used to treat common flu, hepatitis C, as well as HIV infection, Ebola and, most importantly, SARS and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS), which are also caused by coronaviruses.
The second group of drugs - immunomodulators - is used to limit the excessive reaction of the immune system, which in itself can become life-threatening. Such drugs, for example, are used in the treatment of arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease.
The third group includes drugs that allow the lungs to continue to supply the blood with enough oxygen. They are used, in particular, for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a pathological process in which connective tissue proliferates in the walls of the alveoli (pulmonary vesicles). Because of this, the patient suffers from a chronic lack of oxygen, he develops rapid breathing, shortness of breath and dry reflex cough.
Antiviral drugs Remdesivir and Avigan
One of the drugs that scientists have hopes for is the American antiviral drug Remdesivir, used in the treatment of Ebola, and also proved to be effective in combating SARS and MERS. Chinese experts are now trying to find out whether this medication can help in the fight against COVID-19. The first research results should be published in April.
Ампула с препаратом Remdesivir
Remdesivir is being tested in Hamburg
In the United States, similar studies were started by the University of Nebraska in Omaha, and the Pentagon, in its own trials, uses this drug to treat American military coronavirus. In addition, three German hospitals are going to test Remdesivir - in Munich, Dusseldorf and Hamburg.
The Japanese antiviral drug Avigan with the active ingredient favipiravir, which is used for severe forms of influenza, is also in the spotlight of specialists. The drug has also been used successfully in the treatment of Ebola. Scientists around the world are currently testing its effectiveness against COVID-19 . Christian Drosten, director of the Institute of Virology at the Charite Hospital in Berlin, called the preliminary research results encouraging. Despite the fact that the final conclusions are still far away, many countries have already turned to Japan with a request for the wholesale supply of this medication.
The effectiveness of antimalarial drugs is in question
Meanwhile, the German pharmaceutical concern Bayer AG is re-equipping factories in Europe for the release of the drug against malaria Resochin with the active substance chloroquine. The company plans not only to supply this medicine to German hospitals, but also to supply it free of charge to other countries. A clinical study conducted in a hospital in Marseille showed the effectiveness of chloroquine for the treatment of pneumonia COVID-19. So far, the medicine under the brand name Resochin has been produced only in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Indian authorities have banned the export of another anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine. Experts in a number of countries are also testing it as a treatment for patients infected with coronavirus.
However, a number of virologists, including Christian Drosten of Charite, are not convinced of the reliability of the results of the Marseille study. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also made similar doubts after President Donald Trump spoke out in favor of using chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in treating patients with COVID-19.
Medicines Against HIV, Cancer and MERS
Scientists admit that a combination of ritonavir and lopinavir, drugs used to suppress HIV replication, may also be effective. The drug "Kaletra" (the trade name for a combination of these substances) of the American pharmaceutical company AbbVie has already been used for experimental treatment of COVID-19 in China, Thailand and Singapore. The results of clinical tests, however, so far look unconvincing.
In addition, several other active substances that may be suitable for the treatment of coronavirus are also being tested. These include Leronlimab, which is used to treat patients with HIV and metastatic breast cancer, antibodies originally developed against MERS, and Brilacidin, which is used for inflammatory diseases of the intestines and oral mucosa.
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