Remdesivir for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causing COVID-19: An evaluation of the evidence

Travel Med Infect Dis. 2020 May-Jun:35:101647. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101647. Epub 2020 Apr 2.

Abstract

The novel coronavirus infection that initially found at the end of 2019 has attracted great attention. So far, the number of infectious cases has increased globally to more than 100 thousand and the outbreak has been defined as a pandemic situation, but there are still no "specific drug" available. Relevant reports have pointed out the novel coronavirus has 80% homology with SARS. In the difficulty where new synthesized drug cannot be applied immediately to patients, "conventional drug in new use" becomes a feasible solution. The first medication experience of the recovered patients in the US has led remdesivir to be the "specific drug". China has also taken immediate action to put remdesivir into clinical trials with the purpose of applying it into clinical therapeutics for Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We started from the structure, immunogenicity, and pathogenesis of coronavirus infections of the novel coronavirus. Further, we analyzed the pharmacological actions and previous trials of remdesivir to identify the feasibility of conducting experiments on COVID-19.

Keywords: Corona virus disease 2019; Phase III clinical trial; Remdesivir; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Monophosphate / analogs & derivatives*
  • Adenosine Monophosphate / chemistry
  • Adenosine Monophosphate / pharmacokinetics
  • Adenosine Monophosphate / therapeutic use
  • Alanine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Alanine / chemistry
  • Alanine / pharmacokinetics
  • Alanine / therapeutic use
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacokinetics*
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Betacoronavirus / chemistry*
  • Betacoronavirus / immunology
  • Betacoronavirus / metabolism*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
  • Coronavirus Infections / pathology
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Genome, Viral / genetics
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / chemistry
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / pathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / chemistry
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
  • remdesivir
  • Adenosine Monophosphate
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • Alanine