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That includes developing coronavirus treatments that can target this deadly and widespread strain of the virus.
Getty / anilyanik / Morgan Johnson
Some of these drugs are already receiving attention as promising COVID-19 treatments.
But what does that mean exactly, and what treatments might we expect for thenew coronavirusdisease?
First, though, lets talk about that promising designation.
What goes into creating antiviral drugs?
It can also be helpful when a virus seemingly comes out of nowhere like SARS-CoV-2 did.
Think of how there are some antibiotics that can be used against many different types of bacteria.
This allows a doctor to start treating an infection as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, we dont have a sufficient broad-spectrum treatment option for viruses.
But even that drugdoesnt work for every throw in of herpes virus.
Finding drugs that work against even one virus is difficult, Sheahan says.
Trying to find drugs that work against more than one virus is even more difficult.
Think about it this way: Humans come in all shapes and sizes.
Where are we in terms of finding a new coronavirus treatment?
Then comes the animal testing for safety and efficacy, and the human testing for the same goals.
Success in terms of COVID-19 drug testing can have a few different metrics, Frieman notes.
One is whether people are physically improving on the treatment.
Are they using less supplemental oxygen?
Are their lungs clearer?
Are theybreathing more easily?
Have their other symptoms lessened?
Death is another research endpoint.
Are those on the drug more likely to survive?
Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have originally been used as antimalarial drugs.
Some physicians havereported anecdotal successusing hydroxychloroquine (or a drug combination including it) on COVID-19 patients.
(Irregular heartbeat is aknown side effectof the medication.)
I would be surprised if this is going to be our magic bullet, Sheahan says.
We really have to wait and see what the data says from the trials.
Lopinavir-ritonavir is normally used to treat HIV.
The ritonavir is added to help the body process lopinavir.)
Unfortunately, theres really no solid scientific evidence that this is the new coronavirus treatment weve been waiting for.
Other trials are ongoing.
Lopinavir, for instance, targets an HIV protein called protease.
While [SARS-CoV-2] also carries a protease, its quite different than HIVs.
Remdesivir was originally developed to treat Ebola.
Like lopinavir, remdesivir is another drug that was developed to treat an RNA virus: Ebola.
This stops the virus from replicating.
Remdesivir is one of two broad-spectrum antiviral drugs Sheahans research group has been working on for over five years.
But they still need to see if success in the lab translates into success in humans with COVID-19.
EIDD-2801 was originally developed as a potential broad-spectrum antiviral.
This is the other broad-spectrum antiviral at the focus of Sheahans research efforts, he says.
EIDD-2801 is similar to remdesivir in that it interferes with viral replication.
But where remdesivir stops replication, EIDD-2801 introduces mistakes into the virus as it copies itself, Sheahan explains.
These mutations mean the virus can no longer replicate in cells.
Human clinical trials are planned in the U.S. and the U.K., Sheahan says.
The treatments you read about online and hear from friends can be really dangerous.
kindly get your medical advice from real doctors and trusted sources, he says.
I think the pandemic is going to start lots of exciting research, Sheahan says.
Pharma and biotech may see the value in developing broad-spectrum antivirals as part of pandemic preparedness.
We were not prepared for this.
The situation with coronavirus is evolving rapidly.
