The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 leading to the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 400,000 deaths worldwide and the global economy shut down has substantially accelerated the research and development of novel and efficient COVID-19 antiviral drugs and vaccines. In the short term, antiviral and other drugs have been subjected to repurposing against COVID-19 demonstrating some success, but some excessively hasty conclusions drawn from significantly suboptimal clinical evaluations have provided false hope. On the other hand, more than 300 potential therapies and at least 150 vaccine studies are in progress at various stages of preclinical or clinical research. The aim here is to provide a timely update of the development, which, due to the intense activities, moves forward with unprecedented speed. Lay abstract The COVID-19 pandemic took the whole world by surprise by its rapid spread causing enormous destruction to the global health and economy. The unprecedented severity of the disease has led to worldwide death tolls not seen since the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918. The spread of COVID-19 due to modern mobility and the absence of efficient antiviral drugs and vaccines have forced administrations all over the world to place societies under confinements and lockdowns. Accelerated attention has been paid to the development of novel treatments and prevention of COVID-19. The review aims at providing an update of the status on drug and vaccine development to eliminate the pandemic.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, pandemic, Vaccines, antiviral drugs, clinical trials, repurposing, 【초록키워드】 Treatment, Vaccine, Vaccine development, Antiviral, COVID-19 pandemic, severity, antiviral drugs, Economy, research and development, drug, potential therapies, antiviral drug, Clinical research, global health, Spread, Health, clinical evaluation, Research, death, drug and vaccine development, administration, not seen, short term, lockdowns, Abstract, status, activities, Stage, clinical evaluations, potential therapy, Spanish flu, spread of COVID-19, prevention of COVID-19, significantly, provided, absence, accelerated, 【제목키워드】 Treatment,