In a recent study published in the science journal Nature, as many as 21 known drugs have been identified which can stop the replication of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Out of the 21 drugs, 13 have previously entered clinical trials and are effective in certain doses for Covid-19. They have also discovered that four of these compounds cane work synergistically with remdesivir.
"Remdesivir has proven successful at shortening the recovery time for patients in the hospital, but the drug doesn't work for everyone who receives it. That's not good enough. the urgency remains to find affordable, effective, and readily available drugs that can complement the use of remdesivir, as well as drugs that could be given prophylactically or at the first sign of infection on an outpatient basis," said senior author of the study Sumit Chanda, Professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in California in a report by IANS.
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The 21 drugs identified by the researchers of the Nature study are currently being tested in small animal models and "mini lungs," or lung organoids, that mimic human tissue. If these studies yield positive results, they will approach the US FDA for clinical trials evaluating the drugs as treatments for Covid-19. The team has decided that to approach the US FDA to discuss clinical trials evaluating the drugs as treatments for Covid-19, if the studies are found to be favourable.
"Based on our current analysis, clofazimine, hanfangchin A, apilimod and ONO 5334 represent the best near-term options for an effective Covid-19 treatment," said Chanda
She also added, “This report provides the scientific community with a larger arsenal of potential weapons that may help bring the ongoing global pandemic to heel."
At present in India, the following is being used for preventive treatment of Covid 19:
Remdesvir- is one of the drugs which is being used in Indian hospitals to help patients of Covid-19. It has been shown to inhibit the replication of other human coronaviruses associated with high morbidity in tissue cultures. Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given the approval for the use and manufacture of the drug in India, it is marketed with the name Covifor and is usually injected onto a patient. It is one the best know treatments so far even though may not work for everyone. The drug brand, Cipla has also launched its own remedesivir under the name of Cipremi.
Hydroxycholroquine- has been one of the most controversial drugs throughout the trials. The drug is used mainly to treat malaria but it also used as a treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Oxford University decided to stop giving its patients HCQ since it showed no significant benefit towards Covid-19 recovery. But in India, it is still in use, according to a Mint report Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been using the drug to prevent infection among healthcare workers as well because of the theoretical evidence that hydroxychloroquine does not allow the novel coronavirus, or SARS-COV2, to attach to cells.
Favipiravir- which is known by the name FabiFlu by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals is an antiviral drug that has been commonly used as an influenza drug in Japan. When tested against the new coronavirus, it had shown encouraging results in mild to moderate patients.
Tocilizumab- For severely ill patients, a drug named Tocilizumab which is also known as atlizumab is used. It is an immunosuppressive drug that is being tried on several high-risk Covid-19 patients in Mumbai. A study published in The Lancet said “Treatment with tocilizumab, whether administered intravenously or subcutaneously, might reduce the risk of invasive mechanical ventilation or death in patients with severe Covid-19 pneumonia.”
Itolizumab - Another drug used for emergency use in Covid-19 patients which has been approved by DCGI is a plaque psoriasis drug Itolizumab (ALZUMAb). Itolizumab is said to be the first new biologic therapy approved globally which is used for the treatment of moderate to severe Covid-19 complications according to a report on Pharmaceutical Technology.
Biocon executive chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said: “Itolizumab’s unique mechanism of action made it an ideal candidate for treating the ‘cytokine storm’, which is a leading cause of death in Covid-19 patients.”