Drug Design, Development and Therapy (Mar 2022)
Use of Antivirals in SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Critical Review of the Role of Remdesivir
Abstract
Santiago Moreno,1 Bernardino Alcázar,2 Carlos Dueñas,3 Juan González del Castillo,4 Julián Olalla,5 Antonio Antela6 1Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Universidad de Alcalá, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain; 2Respiratory Department, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain; 3Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain; 4Emergency Department, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain; 5Internal Medicine Service, Hospital Costa del Sol, Marbella, Spain; 6Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, SpainCorrespondence: Antonio Antela, Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Avenida Choupana, Santiago de Compostela, 15706, Spain, Tel +34 981951276, Fax +34 981951076, Email [email protected]: The aim of this report is to review the literature and shed light on the uncertainties surrounding the use of antiviral agents in general and remdesivir in COVID-19 patients. This review evaluated a battery of antiviral compounds and their effectiveness in the treatment of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. Remdesivir is the only antiviral approved by the EMA and FDA for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This work extensively reviews remdesivir data generated from clinical trials and observational studies, paying attention to the most recent data, and focusing on outcomes to give readers a more comprehensive understanding of the results. This review also discusses the recommendations issued by official bodies during the pandemic in the light of the current knowledge. The use of remdesivir in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection is justified because a virus is the causative agent that triggers the inflammatory responses and its consequences. More trials are needed to improve the management of this disease.Keywords: COVID-19, anti-viral therapy, viral RNA polymerases, recommendations
