New insights on potential therapeutic options and vaccines for corona virus disease-2019

Abstract

In December 2019, world health organization was acquainted of the outbreak of pneumonia of unknown cause. The causative agent was identified as a novel coronavirus and named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). This disease is a pandemic, which has so far, caused more than 376 320 deaths globally. Owing to the high transmission and mortality of COVID-19, identifying ways to circumvent the imbroglio has become the top priority of researchers across different parts of the world. To date, no treatment or preventive approach has been developed. Two approaches can be employed to solve the conundrum, a curative/therapeutic and a preventive approach. The therapeutic approach can be divided into two aspects, blocking various aspects of viral entry into target cells and completion of its life cycle using antiviral drugs whereas the second aspect involves modification of host immune responses and inhibition of cell surface receptors and enzymes required for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The preventive approach involves the development of vaccines. Recent advances in the development of drugs targeting host cell receptors and enzymes, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, immunomodulatory drugs, and vaccines have been discussed in this review.