Researchers from a division of the American Chemical Society, CAS came out with a special-edition report wherein they provided a general idea of the previously released scientific information on the possible vaccines and therapeutic agents for the new coronavirus (COVID-19), a respiratory illness which the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus caused. This COVID-19 outbreak, now a pandemic, is representing a threat to worldwide public health.
Even though the epicenter of COVID-19 back in December last year was originally located in Wuhan, China, this illness has spread fast to over 100 countries. Additionally, millions of lives of people have been greatly impacted as an outcome of mandatory quarantines or isolations. More so, the "swell effect" of this pandemic illness, as the researchers found, could possibly take in major struggles to global health systems, not to mention, extensive consequences on the economy of the world, if the widespread of COVID-19 is not mitigated effectively.
ALSO READ: 'Favilavir': First Approved Drug to Treat Coronavirus
New Discoveries from Scientists
SARS-CoV-2 fundamentally attacks a human's lower respiratory system to result in viral pneumonia. However, it may also impact one's liver, central nervous system, kidney, heart and gastrointestinal system. To provide assistance to the research initiatives to find vaccines and therapeutic therapies for the new coronavirus, CAS's Dr. Cynthia Liu, together with her colleagues evaluated the published scientific information on SARS-CoV-2, including the related coronaviruses.
Relatively the science experts reviewed the fast-growing number of journal articles that are related to this new coronavirus and SARS-Cov-2, and patents that have to do with coronaviruses in humans. Incidentally, from end-2019 until March 1 this year, over 500 journal articles linked to the infectious illness were published both in print and online, with figures constantly rising week after week. Topics included treatment regimens, antiviral agents, clinical manifestations, viral mechanisms and structures, and diagnostics, to name a few.
Over 500 Patents Issued for Vaccines
At present, over 500 patents have already been given out for vaccines, as well as for therapeutic agents like cytokines, nucleic acids, and antibodies that can help in the prevention or treatment of the COVID-19 infections. Since SARS-CoV-2 is the same as the other coronaviruses like the MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-1, the researchers emphasized therapies that explored previously for these other coronaviruses that can be applicable too, to SARS CoV-2
Recently, reports about Hisun Pharmaceutical's Flavilavir, one of the three drugs that would effectively treat COVID -19. The Ministry of Science and Technology of China, said, this medicine is one of the two others, that presented results for delaying and even preventing COVID-19 from spreading and impairing further people's health all over the world.
In relation to this, Flavilavir was examined in a continuing clinical test that was being conducted in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.
The said test involved roughly 70 patients. Following the test, was the result that the medicine was possibly effective in treating COVID-19 yet, some minor impacts had been recorded, and reported, as well. Currently, Favilavir's generic version is being produced in big quantities in China.
