The novel SARS-CoV-2 is the agent of the current pandemic of the respiratory disease known as COVID-19. Government and health authorities around the world have advocated social distancing, containment measures, and effective diagnosis as first measures to slow down the spread of the disease, but still, treatment options are urgent, especially for patients evolving to severe pneumonia. Several pharmaceuticals with antiviral effects were identified and tested, to some extent, during the previous SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV outbreaks. Type I Interferons, ribavirin, lopinavir/ritonavir, chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine, and remdesivir emerge as the primary options for in-hospital treatment of patients with COVID-19, focused on reducing the viral load. Although more experimental and clinical evidence is required, the accumulated in vitro and clinical knowledge here discussed support those drugs as feasible alternatives to face the SARS-CoV infection in the short term, while more effective measures arise from the world scientific community.
Key words: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, antiviral, lopinavir, chloroquine, remdesivir
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