ABSTRACT
abstract Approximately 2,000 clinical studies have been conducted in the world to investigate approved drugs and drug candidates for Covid-19, including small molecules and biologicals, not to mention vaccines. The repositioning of drugs, the most explored strategy, has not led to the identification of any new antiviral against Covid-19. Despite its approval for emergency use by the US regulatory agency, remdesivir has shown only modest results in clinical studies. Dexamethasone, which contributed to reduce mortality in critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation or oxygen, is a corticosteroid that has anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. Biological drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies, interferons, specific proteins, and anticoagulants are being evaluated in several clinical studies to assess their role in Covid-19 therapy. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the coronavirus may never disappear even with the advent of an eventual vaccine, highlighting the urgency for the development of innovative drugs. The most realistic scenario involves the development of specific antivirals against Sars-CoV-2 for the safe and effective treatment of the disease.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Betacoronavirus/pathogenicity , Coronavirus Infections/drug therapy , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Pneumonia, Viral/drug therapy , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Registries , Small Molecule Libraries/therapeutic use , Betacoronavirus/drug effects , Betacoronavirus/immunology , COVID-19 , COVID-19 Vaccines , China/epidemiology , Clinical Trials as Topic , Coronavirus Infections/immunology , Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control , Drug Repositioning/trends , Europe/epidemiology , Humans , Pandemics/prevention & control , Pneumonia, Viral/immunology , Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control , SARS-CoV-2 , United States/epidemiology , Viral Vaccines/biosynthesisABSTRACT
The first-ever World Chagas Disease Day, celebrated in April 14, 2020, is a key initiative to raise awareness of the impact of this neglected tropical disease (NTD). This landmark comes along with the first World NTD Day and the new WHO Road Map on NTDs for 2021-2030.