COVID-19: Vaccine Delivery System, Drug Repurposing and Application of Molecular Modeling Approach

Drug Des Devel Ther. 2021 Jul 30:15:3313-3330. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S320320. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

The acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has spread across the world, resulting in a pandemic COVID-19 which is a human zoonotic disease that is caused by a novel coronavirus (CoV) strain thought to have originated in wild or captive bats in the initial COVID outbreak region. The global COVID-19 outbreak started in Guangdong Province, China's southernmost province. The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been hampered by the sheer number of infected people, many of whom need intensive care before succumbing to the disease. The epidemic is being handled by a combination of disease control by public health interventions and compassionate treatment for those who have been impacted. There is no clear anti-COVID-19 medication available at this time. However, the need to find medications that can turn the tide has led to the development of a number of investigational drugs as potential candidates for improving outcomes, especially in the severely and critically ill. Although many of these adjunctive medications are still being studied in clinical trials, professional organizations have attempted to define the circumstances in which their use is deemed off-label or compassionate. It is important to remind readers that new information about COVID-19's clinical features, treatment options, and outcomes is released on a regular basis. The mainstay of treatment remains optimized supportive care, and the therapeutic effectiveness of the subsequent agents is still being studied.

Keywords: COVID-19; drug repurposing; molecular modeling; nanoparticles; vaccine.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / immunology
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / administration & dosage*
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / chemistry
  • Drug Carriers*
  • Drug Compounding
  • Drug Repositioning*
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Nanoparticles
  • SARS-CoV-2 / drug effects
  • SARS-CoV-2 / pathogenicity
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Drug Carriers