Personalized Therapy: Can it Tame the COVID-19 Monster?

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2, a recently emerged zoonotic virus, has resulted in unstoppable high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. However, due to a limited knowledge of the dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, it has been observed that the current COVID-19 therapy has led to some clinical repercussions. We discuss the adverse effects of drugs for COVID-19 primarily based on some clinical trials. As therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of therapy may vary due to different, genetic determinants, sex, age and the ethnic background of test subjects, hence biomarker-based personalized therapy could be more appropriate. We will share our thoughts on the current landscape of personalized therapy as a roadmap to fight against SARS-CoV-2 or another emerging pathogen.

Keywords::

• adverse effects
• antivirals
• biomarkers
• COVID-19
• drug repurposing
• drugs
• drug toxicity
• personalized medicine
• precision therapy
• SARS-CoV-2

Financial & competing interests disclosure

M Arish is thankful to the Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, for the Young Scientist Grant (no. 12014/15/2018-HR). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

M Arish is thankful to the Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, for the Young Scientist Grant (no. 12014/15/2018-HR). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.