Efficacy of Investigative Candidate Drugs Against SARS CoV-2: An update on pre-clinical and clinical trials:( TJPS-2021-0055.R1)

The unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19 pandemic demands for an urgent development of effective therapeutic strategies against the deadly virus. Researchers thus far have revealed outcomes of pre-clinical and clinical studies of different interventions. This study aims to present overall summary of therapeutics that until this date are reported for their efficacy against COVID-19 in pre-clinical and clinical trials. A thorough literature search was conducted using databases for identification of studies published on the SARS COV-2 treatment. According to pre-clinical experiments, Nefamostat mesylate, Remdesivir, Chloroquine (CQ), Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC EIDD-1931), Ivermectin, Boceprevir, Calpain inhibitors, GC 376, Teicoplanin, Nelfinavir, Saquinavir, Alprostadil and Interferons (IFNs) showed maximum SARS CoV-2 inhibition. Among clinical trials the Corticosteroids, Lopinavir/Ritonavir (LPV/RTV), CQ and HCQ presented adverse effects while Remdesivir, Favipiravir (FPV), Tocilizumab (TCZ), IFNs, Lenzilumab, dexamethasone, arbidol and Convalescent plasma (CP) were featured with potential benefits and warranting further investigation. Based on these results, COVID-19 treatments remain investigational with an urgent need of well-structured efforts towards drugs development, evaluation and analysis.