Current status of drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2

ABSTRACT

By April 19, 2021, the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than one hundred and fourty million individuals across more than 200 countries or territories and killed more than three million twenty-six thousand individuals worldwide. There are currently no specific drugs available for patients with COVID-19 infection, but a number of potential drug targets have been identified with the further understanding of the virological characteristics and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2. Some candidate drugs have shown good antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in preclinical or clinical trials. This paper summarizes the current status of potential therapeutic drugs for COVID-19 in order to provide references for future COVID-19 therapy.