Exploiting SARS-CoV-2 Replication Cycle for COVID-19 Therapies

Abstract

The tail end of 2019 saw the identification of SARS-CoV-2 as the causative virus of COVID-19, which was followed in March 2020 by the assignment of pandemic status to this disease. COVID-19 has exacted terrible tolls on the lives, health, and economies of nearly every country on the planet since then. The major focus in fighting the pandemic has been on the fast development and deployment of vaccines. Despite the undoubted success of vaccines, a few COVID-19 cases will continue to be encountered that require medical interventions. The field of pharmacological treatment has been largely set aside with no emerging specific and effective therapies that are tailored and designed to combat SARS-CoV-2. This narrative review looks at pharmacological therapies that target parts of the viral replication cycle or counteract the body’s response to the presence of the virus. A literature search was undertaken using PubMed and Google Scholar databases to identify relevant medicinal therapies and clinical studies for the management of COVID-19.