COVID-19 TREATMENT: EVOLUTION AND EVALUATION OF THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES

Bel Houari M.*, Bouhlala N., Amezouar A., Zhim I., Lamsaouri J. and Tadlaoui Y.

ABSTRACT

At the end of 2019, a new coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China, quickly causing a severe respiratory syndrome and deadly pneumonia (SARS-CoV-2). The lack of information about this disease and its therapeutic management created an atmosphere of urgency to find an effective treatment. The simplest strategy aims to repurpose existing drugs, which had the advantage of reducing costs and development time. These primarily include drugs that act directly against the causative agent, namely antiretrovirals and monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, and also, anti-inflammatory drugs and immunomodulatory agents that help combat the hyperinflammatory state induced by cytokine release have been investigated individually or in combination. Over the course of these three years, numerous randomized controlled trials of known drugs have been conducted in COVID-19 patients, and several Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) have been issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The purpose of this work is to provide a summary of the latest potential therapeutic options proposed, authorized, or approved for clinical use in the management of COVID-19 and included in international protocols for managing the COVID-19 crisis. The objective is to assist physicians and all individuals involved in the fight against the epidemic, improve their decision-making, and help them make the appropriate choices.

Keywords: Treatment, COVID-19, Medications, Protocol, Patient Management.