Current off-label Pharmacotherapeutics in the management of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection caused by a newly emergent coronavirus, Severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS-CoV-2, that was first recognized in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. There are no FDA- approved therapeutics or drugs to treat, cure or prevent COVID-19. Some reported case studies indicated the significance of Chloroquine use in mild cases and Lopinavir and Ritonavir in severe cases of COVID-19 respectively. Indian Council of Medical Research, India issued a protocol which is to be implemented along with the WHO guidelines on clinical management of mild and severe acute respiratory infection when COVID-19 infection is suspected in Indian patients as a restricted public health emergency use.