scholarly journals Pharmacotherapy for COVID-19: A Ray of Hope

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayank Kapoor ◽  
Prasan Kumar Panda ◽  
Vivek Mohanty
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Kinase Inhibitors ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Interferon Alfa ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Plasma Therapy ◽  
Therapeutic Drugs ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Multiple Drugs

Most viral infections have limited treatment options available and the same holds for COVID-19, its causative agent being the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Drugs used in the past against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) viruses, which belong to the same family of viruses as the novel Coronavirus included ribavirin, interferon (alfa and beta), lopinavir-ritonavir combination, and corticosteroids. There remains controversy regarding their efficacy to date, except for the last one. Hence, large-scale multicentric trials are being conducted involving multiple drugs. Chloroquine and hydroxy-chloroquine were initially taking the race ahead but have now been rejected. Remdesivir was a promising candidate, for which the FDA had issued an emergency use authorization, but now is not recommended by the WHO. Convalescent plasma therapy had promising results in the early severe viremia phase, but the PLACID trial made an obscure end. Only corticosteroids have shown demonstrable benefits in improving mortality rates among severe COVID-19 cases. Many new modalities like monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors are discussed. In this chapter, we review the therapeutic drugs under investigation for the COVID-19 treatment, their mode of action, degree of effectiveness, and recommendations by different centers regarding their use in current settings.

scholarly journals Severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Patients with Cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-126
Author(s):  
Zahraa Qusairy ◽  
Miran Rada
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Underlying Disease ◽  
Therapeutic Agents ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Supportive Treatment ◽  
Plasma Therapy ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has appeared to be one of the biggest global health threats worldwide with no specific therapeutic agents. As of August 2020, over 22.4 million confirmed cases and more than 788,000 deaths have been reported globally, and the toll is expected to increase before the pandemic is over. Given the aggressive nature of their underlying disease, cancer patients seem to be more vulnerable to COVID-19 and various studies have confirmed this hypothesis. Herein, we review the current information regarding the role of cancer in SARS-CoV-2 infections. Moreover, we discuss the effective supportive treatment options for COVID-19 including Dexamethasone, Tocilizumab and Remdesivir and convalescent plasma therapy (CPT), as well as discuss their efficacy in COVID-19 patients with cancer.

scholarly journals The New Pandemic Covid-19: Treatment Options and Developments

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Gayatri ◽  
S. Lavanya ◽  
Meeran Hussain ◽  
John Veslin
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Clinical Status ◽  
Causative Factor ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Treatment Combination ◽  
Plasma Therapy ◽  
Ayurvedic Treatment ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Death Cases

SARS-CoV-2, the novel infectious causative factor of the new pandemic COVID-19 produced 5934936 total infected cases and 367166 death cases across multiple continents as of May 31, 2020. Majority of the world’s population are still vulnerable to COVID-19. As of now, there are no clear scientific proven treatment or drug to combat covid-19, but prevention and management can reduce the spread of virus. In this crisis, a vaccine, that can train the immune system to fight against this novel coronavirus becomes essential to control the further dissemination of the new pandemic COVID-19. This review provides insights into the on- going treatment options available for COVID-19 including antiviral drugs, Ayurvedic treatment, combination of drugs and plasma therapy. This review also aims to highlight on the development of vaccines and its clinical status.

scholarly journals Can phytotherapy with polyphenols serve as a powerful approach for the prevention and therapy tool of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?

2020 ◽  
Vol 319 (4) ◽  
pp. E689-E708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emile Levy ◽  
Edgard Delvin ◽  
Valérie Marcil ◽  
Schohraya Spahis
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Utility ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Transmission Modes ◽  
Powerful Approach ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Strong Capacity

Much more serious than the previous severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV) outbreaks, the novel SARS-CoV-2 infection has spread speedily, affecting 213 countries and causing ∼17,300,000 cases and ∼672,000 (∼+1,500/day) deaths globally (as of July 31, 2020). The potentially fatal coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by air droplets and airborne as the main transmission modes, clearly induces a spectrum of respiratory clinical manifestations, but it also affects the immune, gastrointestinal, hematological, nervous, and renal systems. The dramatic scale of disorders and complications arises from the inadequacy of current treatments and absence of a vaccine and specific anti-COVID-19 drugs to suppress viral replication, inflammation, and additional pathogenic conditions. This highlights the importance of understanding the SARS-CoV-2 mechanisms of actions and the urgent need of prospecting for new or alternative treatment options. The main objective of the present review is to discuss the challenging issue relative to the clinical utility of plants-derived polyphenols in fighting viral infections. Not only is the strong capacity of polyphenols highlighted in magnifying health benefits, but the underlying mechanisms are also stressed. Finally, emphasis is placed on the potential ability of polyphenols to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection via the regulation of its molecular targets of human cellular binding and replication, as well as through the resulting host inflammation, oxidative stress, and signaling pathways.

scholarly journals A mini review on emerging targets and Approaches for the synthesis of Anti-Viral compounds: In perspective to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maheswara Rao Gokada ◽  
Visweswara Rao Pasupuleti ◽  
Hari Babu Bollikolla
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Viral Infection ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Scale Production ◽  
Sudden Increase ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Epidemic Disease ◽  
Large Scale Production ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

: The novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an epidemic disease which appeared at the end of the year 2019 in a sudden increase in number and considered as a pandemic disease caused by a viral infection and it has threatened most countries towards the emergency search for new anti-SARS-COV drugs /vaccines. At present, the number of clinical trials is ongoing worldwide on different drugs i.e. Hydroxychloroquine, Remedisvir, Favipiravir that utilizes various mechanisms of actions. A few world countries are currently processing for clinical trials which may result in a positive manner. Favipiravir (FPV) represents one of the feasible treatment options for COVID-19, if trials result seems positive. Favipiravir will be one among the developed authoritative possible drugs to warrant the benefits to mankind with large-scale production in order to meet the demands by the current pandemic Covid-19 outbreak and the future epidemic outbreaks. In this review, the authors tried to explore key molecules, which will be supportive for scheming COVID-19 research.

scholarly journals Multi-Objective Optimization of Integrated Civilian-Military Scheduling of Medical Supplies for Epidemic Prevention and Control

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 126
Author(s):  
Hai-Feng Ling ◽  
Zheng-Lian Su ◽  
Xun-Lin Jiang ◽  
Yu-Jun Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
Medical Supplies ◽  
Problem Instances ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
And Control ◽  
Minimum Ratio

In a large-scale epidemic, such as the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19), there is huge demand for a variety of medical supplies, such as medical masks, ventilators, and sickbeds. Resources from civilian medical services are often not sufficient for fully satisfying all of these demands. Resources from military medical services, which are normally reserved for military use, can be an effective supplement to these demands. In this paper, we formulate a problem of integrated civilian-military scheduling of medical supplies for epidemic prevention and control, the aim of which is to simultaneously maximize the overall satisfaction rate of the medical supplies and minimize the total scheduling cost, while keeping a minimum ratio of medical supplies reservation for military use. We propose a multi-objective water wave optimization (WWO) algorithm in order to efficiently solve this problem. Computational results on a set of problem instances constructed based on real COVID-19 data demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 and Coronavirus Disease 2019: What We Know So Far

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Firas A. Rabi ◽  
Mazhar S. Al Zoubi ◽  
Ghena A. Kasasbeh ◽  
Dunia M. Salameh ◽  
Amjad D. Al-Nasser
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Molecular Information ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

In December 2019, a cluster of fatal pneumonia cases presented in Wuhan, China. They were caused by a previously unknown coronavirus. All patients had been associated with the Wuhan Wholefood market, where seafood and live animals are sold. The virus spread rapidly and public health authorities in China initiated a containment effort. However, by that time, travelers had carried the virus to many countries, sparking memories of the previous coronavirus epidemics, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and causing widespread media attention and panic. Based on clinical criteria and available serological and molecular information, the new disease was called coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), and the novel coronavirus was called SARS Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), emphasizing its close relationship to the 2002 SARS virus (SARS-CoV). The scientific community raced to uncover the origin of the virus, understand the pathogenesis of the disease, develop treatment options, define the risk factors, and work on vaccine development. Here we present a summary of current knowledge regarding the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes.

Novel Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Trigger Drug Sensitivity of Primary CLL Cells by Controlling Glucosylation of Ceramides

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 3905-3905
Author(s):  
Janine Schwamb ◽  
Valeska Feldhaus ◽  
Michael Baumann ◽  
Michaela Patz ◽  
Susanne Brodesser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tyrosine Kinase ◽  
Kinase Inhibitors ◽  
Kinase Inhibitor ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Cell Receptor ◽  
Lymphocytic Leukemia ◽  
Published Data ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Apoptosis Resistance

Abstract Abstract 3905 Background: Apoptosis resistance of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells is mediated by several pro-survival stimuli. In particular, engagement of the B-cell receptor (BCR), CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) interaction or stimulation by interleukin-(IL)-4 were identified as major factors to regulate chemoresistance. Sphingolipids are known to be involved in several metabolic pathways involved in chemoresitance. Therefore, we focused on ceramide as pro-apoptotic molecule and its counterpart glucosylceramide, which rather contributes to proliferation and survival. Methods and Results: Applying liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, we revealed a significant decrease of pro-apoptotic ceramide in BCR/IL-4/CD40L-stimulated primary CLL cells compared to untreated controls (p=0.0258, p=0.0478, p=0.0114). Anti-apoptotic glucosylceramide levels were significantly increased after BCR cross-linking (p=0.0435) while other stimuli caused no relevant change in glucosylceramide expression. We identified BCR engagement to catalyze the crucial modification of ceramide to glucosylceramide via the enzyme UDP-glucose ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG) (p=0.0001). Besides specific UGCG inhibitors, we could show for the first time that IgM-mediated UGCG expression was significantly inhibited by the novel and highly effective PI3Kδ and BTK inhibitors CAL-101 and PCI-32765, which were able to revert IgM-induced apoptosis resistance of CLL cells. Recently published data revealed sphingolipids to be essential for mediation of apoptosis via mitochondria. Therefore, we chose ABT-737 – a well-known and also mitochondria-targeting drug – as candidate partner for PI3Kδ and BTK inhibition. When combining each tyrosine kinase inhibitor with ABT-737, a synergistic apoptotic effect could be documented, even under protection by BCR stimulation. Conclusion: In summary, we could demonstrate that sphingolipids are critically involved in CLL pathogenesis. UGCG could be identified as drugable target by the novel kinase inhibitors CAL-101 and PCI-32765 resulting in even synergistic apoptosis following additional application of ABT-737. Sphingolipids seem to offer further targets providing novel treatment options in CLL. C.M.W. and L.P.F. contributed equally to this work. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Multiple Sclerosis and SARS-CoV-2: Has the Interplay Started?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianmarco Bellucci ◽  
Virginia Rinaldi ◽  
Maria Chiara Buscarinu ◽  
Roberta Reniè ◽  
Rachele Bigi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Endogenous Retroviruses ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Barr Virus ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Epstein Barr ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Current knowledge on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) etiopathogenesis encompasses complex interactions between the host’s genetic background and several environmental factors that result in dysimmunity against the central nervous system. An old-aged association exists between MS and viral infections, capable of triggering and sustaining neuroinflammation through direct and indirect mechanisms. The novel Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has a remarkable, and still not fully understood, impact on the immune system: the occurrence and severity of both acute COVID-19 and post-infectious chronic illness (long COVID-19) largely depends on the host’s response to the infection, that echoes several aspects of MS pathobiology. Furthermore, other MS-associated viruses, such as the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs), may enhance a mechanistic interplay with the novel Coronavirus, with the potential to interfere in MS natural history. Studies on COVID-19 in people with MS have helped clinicians in adjusting therapeutic strategies during the pandemic; similar efforts are being made for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaigns. In this Review, we look over 18 months of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic from the perspective of MS: we dissect neuroinflammatory and demyelinating mechanisms associated with COVID-19, summarize pathophysiological crossroads between MS and SARS-CoV-2 infection, and discuss present evidence on COVID-19 and its vaccination in people with MS.

scholarly journals Pooling of samples to optimize SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis by RT-qPCR: comparative analysis of two protocols.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabiana Volpato ◽  
Daiana Lima-Morales ◽  
Priscila Lamb Wink ◽  
Julia Willig ◽  
Fernanda de-Paris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Diagnostic Yield ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Positive Individual ◽  
Sample Pooling ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Pooled Samples

RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 is the main diagnostic test used to identify the novel coronavirus. Several countries have used large scale SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR testing as one of the important strategies for combating the pandemic. In order to process the massive needs for coronavirus testing, the usual throughput of routine clinical laboratories has reached and often surpassed its limits and new approaches to cope with this challenge must be developed. This study has aimed to evaluate the use pool of samples as a strategy to optimize the diagnostic of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR in a general population. A total of 220 naso/orofaryngeal swab samples were collected and tested using two different protocols of sample pooling. In the first protocol (Protocol A); 10 clinical samples were pooled before RNA extraction. The second protocol (Protocol B) consisted of pooling the already extracted RNAs from 10 individual samples. Results from Protocol A were identical (100% agreement) with the individual results. However, for results from Protocol B, reduced agreement (91%) was observed in relation to results obtained by individual testing. Inconsistencies observed were related to RT-qPCR results with higher Cycle Thresholds (Ct > 32.73). Furthermore, in pools containing more than one positive individual, the Ct of the pool was equivalent to the lowest Ct among the individual results. These results provide additional evidence in favor of the clinical use of pooled samples for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis by RT-qPCR and suggest that pooling of samples before RNA extraction is preferrable in terms of diagnostic yield.

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