Insights from nanotechnology in COVID-19 treatment

Zhongmin Tang; Xingcai Zhang; Yiqing Shu; Ming Guo; Han Zhang; Wei Tao

doi:10.1016/j.nantod.2020.101019

Insights from nanotechnology in COVID-19 treatment

Nano Today. 2021 Feb:36:101019. doi: 10.1016/j.nantod.2020.101019. Epub 2020 Nov 4.

Authors

Zhongmin Tang^{1

2}, Xingcai Zhang^{3

4}, Yiqing Shu¹, Ming Guo³, Han Zhang¹, Wei Tao²

Affiliations

¹ Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory of Phosphorene and Optoelectronics, International Collaborative Laboratory of 2D Materials for Optoelectronics Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, PR China.
² Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States.
³ School of Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, United States.
⁴ School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States.

Abstract

In just a few months, SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes, COVID-19, created a worldwide pandemic. Virologists, biologists, pharmacists, materials scientists, and clinicians are collaborating to develop efficient treatment strategies. Overall, in addition to the use of clinical equipment to assist patient rehabilitation, antiviral drugs and vaccines are the areas of greatest focus. Given the physical size of SARS-CoV-2 and the vaccine delivery platforms currently in clinical trials, the relevance of nanotechnology is clear, and previous antiviral research using nanomaterials also supports this connection. Herein we briefly summarize current representative strategies regarding nanomaterials in antiviral research. We focus specifically on SARS-CoV-2 and the detailed role that nanotechnology can play in addressing this pandemic, including i) using FDA-approved nanomaterials for drug/vaccine delivery, including further exploration of the inhalation pathway; ii) introducing promising nanomaterials currently in clinical trials for drug/vaccine delivery; iii) designing novel biocompatible nanomaterials to combat the virus via interfering in its life cycle; and iv) promoting the utilization of nanomaterials in pneumonia treatment.

Keywords: Antiviral drugs; COVID-19; Clinical trials; Nanotechnology; Vaccines.