Pharma, Pharmaceutics and Biotechnology Conference

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 from the SARS-CoV-2 virus necessitates the creation of a pharmaceutical approach in preventing its influence on public health. In the past years, various therapeutic agents have been developed and tested, and treatment for COVID-19 now also involves antiviral drugs, monoclonal antibodies, and anti-inflammatory medication. Antiviral agents are a key component of pharmaceutical management of COVID-19. An antiviral drug, remdesivir, was identified rapidly as promising for reducing the duration of hospitalization and increasing the rates of recovery in patients suffering from severe cases of COVID-19.

This kind of antiviral functions by inhibiting the replication cycle of the virus; thus, disrupting the replication cycle in a host. In addition, two other antiviral medicines-paxlovid, which consists of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, and molnupiravir-have been authorized for emergency use for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at risk for progressing to severe. Paxlovid is a protease inhibitor, while the molnupiravir introduces errors into the RNA of the virus to prevent it from replicating. Monoclonal antibodies have also quickly become part of the armamentarium. Products such as casirivimab/imdevimab and bamlanivimab/etesevimab help neutralize the virus by binding to the spike protein so that it cannot enter and cause infection in humans.

These treatments have been most effective when given early in the course of an infection to prevent progression to severe illness and to hospitalization. Aside from the antiviral medications, another savior of patients who require other supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation and those admitted into the hospital is the corticosteroid dexamethasone.

Dexamethasone, due to its anti-inflammatory action, blunts the hyper-immune response of the host against the virus, also in the form of what is called cytokine storm, wherein there is morbidity and mortality in huge scale. Rapid SARS-CoV-2 evolution has also spurred interest in new therapeutic agents, such as small-molecule inhibitors and immune-modulating therapies. The focus of current research is whether these therapies retain efficacy against emerging variants of concern to ensure that pharmacologic interventions are not undermined. The latest developments in pharmacologic treatments of COVID-19 would be discussed by participants from the perspective of mechanisms of action, clinical application, and current research.

How these therapies integrate into clinical practice and are relevant for timely intervention and managing COVID-19 pharmacologically with all the associated challenges are prime concerns. Insights into the advancing landscape of treatment of COVID-19 and implications regarding patient care and public health will be gleaned.