Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://scidar.kg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/10742
Title: An overview of antiviral strategies for coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with special reference to antimalarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine
Authors: Dragojević Simić V.
Miljkovic M.
Stamenković D.
Vekic, Berislav
Ratkovic N.
Simic R.
Rancic, Nemanja
Issue Date: 2020
Abstract: © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd At present, neither specific antiviral drugs, nor vaccine is recommended for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment. In this review we discuss the drugs suggested as therapy for COVID-19 infection, with a focus on chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. The list of drugs used for COVID-19 treatment includes a combination of lopinavir and ritonavir, remdesivir, favipiravir, alpha-interferon, ribavirin, atazanavir, umifenovir, and tocilizumab. As their efficacy and safety are under investigation, none of the regulatory agencies approved them for the treatment of COVID-19 infection. Although chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine possess antiviral and immunomodulatory effects, in practice benefit of their use for COVID-19 treatment is controversial. Several studies investigating hydroxychloroquine were stopped and the French national medicines regulator suspended its use in clinical trials because of safety concerns. The results from the double-blind, randomised clinical trials, including large number of participants, will add better insight into the role of these two drugs as already available and affordable, antimalarial therapy. The ethical issue on emergency use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in the settings of COVID-19 should be carefully managed, with adherence to the “monitored emergency use of unregistered and experimental interventions” (MEURI) framework or be ethically approved as a trial, as stated by the WHO. Potential shortage of chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine on the market can be overbridged with regular prescriptions by medical doctors and national drug agency should ensure sufficient quantities of these drugs for standard indications.
URI: https://scidar.kg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/10742
Type: review
DOI: 10.1111/ijcp.13825
ISSN: 1368-5031
SCOPUS: 2-s2.0-85096807097
Appears in Collections:Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kragujevac

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