Therapeutics for COVID-19 and post COVID-19 complications: An update

Since its inception in late December 2020 in China, novel coronavirus has affected the global socio-economic aspect. Currently, the world is seeking safe and effective treatment measures against COVID-19 to eradicate it. Many established drug molecules are tested against SARS-CoV-2 as a part of drug repurposing where some are proved effective for symptomatic relief while some are ineffective. Drug repurposing is a practical strategy for rapidly developing antiviral agents. Drug repurposing typically begins with virtual screening of existing drugs using docking experiments. Many drugs are presently being repurposed utilizing basic understanding of disease pathogenesis and drug pharmacodynamics, as well as computational methods. In the present situation, drug repositioning could be viewed as a new treatment option for COVID-19. Several new drug molecules and biologics are engineered against SARS-CoV-2 and are under different stages of clinical development. A few biologics drug products are approved by USFDA for emergency use in the covid management. Due to continuous mutation, many of the approved vaccines are not much efficacious to render the individual immune against opportunistic infection of SARS-CoV-2. Hence, there is a strong need for the cogent therapeutic agent for covid management. In this review, a consolidated summary of the therapeutic development against SARS-CoV-2 is depicted along with an overview of effective management of post COVID-19 complications. • With continuous mutation of SARS-CoV-2, the approved vaccines are not much efficacious to render the individual immune against opportunistic infection. Hence, there is a strong need for the potent therapeutic agent for covid management. • Effectiveness of repurposed drugs used against COVID-19 till now it's not evident. • List of US-FDA approved drugs for COVID-19 were summarized in the article. • Several new drug molecules and biologics are engineered against SARS-CoV-2 and are under different stages of clinical development. • A consolidated summary of the therapeutic development against SARS-CoV-2 is depicted along with an overview of effective management of postCOVID-19 complications.