Table 1 Potential therapeutic strategies for COVID-19
Action | Therapeutic strategy | Agent | Function | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Enhancing lymphocytes | NK cell-based therapy | NK cells | Anti-viral defense, enhances immune response | Kleo Pharmaceuticals Inc. develops NK cell combination therapy |
Immunomodulators | IFN alfa-2a, 2b | Stimulates innate antiviral responses | Clinical trial has been initiated (ChiCTR2000029387) | |
Pseudomonas aeruginosa | NA | |||
Thymosin | NA | |||
Convalescent plasma therapy | Convalescent plasma | Antibodies from convalescent plasma inhibit viremia | Patients treated with convalescent plasma show decreased mortality rate | |
Inhibiting inflammation | MSC-based therapy | MSCs | Anti-inflammatory effect, repairs pulmonary epithelial cell damage | Clinical trial is ongoing |
Treg cell-based therapy | Tregs | Anti-inflammation | Cellenkos Inc. develops a novel allogenic cell therapy (CK0802) | |
Blood purification | Blood purification | Prevention of cytokine storm | Approved for severe and critical cases by China | |
Blockade of IL-6 signaling | Tocilizumab | Targets IL-6R signaling to relieve inflammation | ChiCTR2000029765 | |
Sarilumab | Blocks anti-human IL-6R | Phase 2/3 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of sarilumab for COVID-19 treatment is underway | ||
Anti-inflammatory agents | Baricitinib | Inhibits JAK signaling to decrease cytokine levels | Combined with direct-acting antivirals reduces viral replication and aberrant host inflammatory response | |
Fedratinib | NA | |||
Ruxolitinib | NA | |||
DHODH inhibitors | Inhibits virus replication, attenuates cytokine storm | Effective in infected animals |
