Products being assessed in registered clinical trials for SARS-CoV-2 infection
| Major drug class and drugs | Registered trials, N* | Pharmacological mechanism | Clinical uses |
| Antimalarials | 50 | ||
| Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine | 49 | Inhibit certain enzymes by interacting with DNA; possible antiviral effect on SARS-CoV through changing the glycosylation of ACE2 receptor and spike protein. | Malaria, extraintestinal amebiasis, lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. |
| Dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine | 1 | Blocks a step in Plasmodium falciparum parasite’s metabolism needed for its survival. | Malaria. |
| Antivirals† | 67 | ||
| Asc09/ritonavir | 2 | HIV-1 protease inhibitor. | Investigational drug for HIV (China). |
| Azvudine | 4 | Reverse transcriptase inhibitor. | Investigational drug for HIV-1. |
| Baloxavir | 2 | Polymerase acidic (PA) endonuclease inhibitor. | Influenza. |
| Danoprevir/ritonavir | 4 | Danoprevir inhibits hepatitis virus C NS3/4A protease inhibitor. | Investigational drug for hepatitis C. |
| Darunavir/cobicistat | 1 | Darunavir inhibits HIV-1 protease enzyme, thus slowing down multiplication of HIV. | HIV-1. |
| Favipiravir | 11 | Inhibits RNA polymerase and prevents replication of the viral genome. | Influenza (Japan). |
| Lopinavir/ritonavir | 16 | Lopinavir inhibits HIV-1 protease enzyme, thus slowing down multiplication of HIV. | HIV-1. |
| Remdesivir | 10 | Nucleoside analogue; inhibit the action of RNA polymerase; tested for Ebola, MERS and SARS. | None; investigational medicine. |
| Ribavirin | 1 | Inhibition of viral RNA and protein synthesis. | Hepatitis C. |
| Oseltamivir | 2 | Inhibitor of influenza virus neuraminidase affecting release of viral particles. | Influenza. |
| Umifenovir | 6 | Inhibits membrane fusion in influenza virus. | Influenza (Russia and China). |
| Sofosbuvir/ledipasvir | 1 | Sofosbuvir inhibits HCV NS5B RNA; ledipasvir inhibits HCV NS5A inhibitor. | Hepatitis C. |
| Different antiviral combinations‡ | 7 | ||
| Immunosuppressants | 27 | ||
| Adalimumab | 1 | Blocks tumour necrosis factor–α, thereby reducing inflammation and other symptoms of the disease. | Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, axial spondyloarthritis and plaque psoriasis. |
| Baricitinib | 2 | Janus kinase inhibitor. | Rheumatoid arthritis. |
| Fingolimod | 1 | Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulator. | Multiple sclerosis. |
| Ixekizumab | 1 | Interleukin-17A antagonist. | Plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. |
| Leflunomide | 1 | Pyrimidine synthesis inhibitor. | Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. |
| Pirfenidone | 3 | Not yet known; reduce fibroblasts production. | Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. |
| Sarilumab | 4 | Interleukin-6 receptor antagonist. | Rheumatoid arthritis. |
| Thalidomide | 2 | Not fully known; it has immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic properties. | Multiple myeloma and erythema nodosum leprosum. |
| Tocilizumab | 11 | Interleukin-6 receptor antagonist. | Rheumatoid arthritis, giant cell arteritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis and cytokine release syndrome. |
| Immunostimulants | 16 | ||
| Interferon | 15 | Recombinant cytokine with antiviral properties. | Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, leukaemia, multiple myeloma, follicular lymphoma, carcinoid tumour and malignant melanoma. |
| Sargramostim | 1 | Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. | Acute myeloid leukaemia and transplantation. |
| Anticancer drugs | 7 | ||
| Bevacizumab | 2 | Vascular endothelial growth factor-specific angiogenesis inhibitor. | Several types of cancer; for example, colon, lung and breast. |
| Colchicine | 2 | Tubulin disruption. | Gout flare and familial Mediterranean fever. |
| Programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) antagonists | 2 | Binds to PD-1 found on T cells, thereby inhibiting T cell proliferation. | Several types of cancer; for example, melanoma, lung and kidney. |
| Ruxolitinib | 1 | Janus kinases inhibitor. | Myelofibrosis and polycythaemia vera. |
| Plasma | 14 | ||
| Corticosteroids§ | 7 | ||
| Dexamethasone | 1 | Apoptosis of multiple myeloma cells. | Multiple myeloma. |
| Methylprednisolone | 5 | Binds to nuclear receptors to dampen proinflammatory cytokines. | Several uses; for example, endocrine, rheumatic and collagen disorders. |
| Immunoglobulins | 3 | Several autoimmune, infectious and idiopathic diseases. | |
| Antithrombotic agents | 3 | ||
| Heparin | 2 | Inactivation of Factor Xa and Factor IIa. | Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. |
| Enoxaparin | 1 | ||
| Antifibrinolytics (proteinase inhibitors) | 2 | ||
| Camostat | 1 | Serine protease inhibitor. | Chronic pancreatitis and postoperative reflux esophagitis (Japan). |
| Ulinastat | 1 | Urinary trypsin inhibitor. | Acute pancreatitis and shock (Japan). |
| Expectorants (mucolytics) | 2 | ||
| Acetylcysteine | 1 | Mucolytic agent. | Abnormal, viscid or inspissated mucous secretions. |
| Bromhexine | 1 | Mucolytic agent. | Congestion and cough. |
| Other drugs | 35 | ||
| Aviptadil | 1 | Analogue of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. | Acute lung injury and sarcoidosis (Europe). |
| Azithromycin | 1 | Inhibits bacterial protein synthesis. | Mild to moderate infections. |
| Carrimycin | 2 | Inhibit protein synthesis by binding to ribosomes of the bacteria. | Tuberculosis. |
| Camrelizumab | 1 | Monoclonal antibody; PD-1 inhibitor. | Refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (China). |
| CD24Fc | 1 | Recombinant fusion protein that targets a novel immune pathway checkpoint. | Investigational drug. |
| Dexmedetomidine | 1 | Selective alpha2-adrenergic agonist. | Sedation. |
| Escin | 2 | Inhibition of an inflammatory response at cellular level. | Decongestant and reduction of swelling following injuries. |
| GD31 (nucleoside analogue) | 1 | Nucleoside analogues. | Not found. |
| Jakotinib | 1 | Janus kinase inhibitor. | Investigational drug (China). |
| Losartan | 2 | Angiotensin II receptor blockers. | Hypertension. |
| Meformin | 1 | Decreases hepatic production and intestinal absorption of glucose and improves insulin sensitivity. | Diabetes mellitus. |
| Meplazumab | 1 | Humanised anti-CD147 antibody. | Investigational drug. |
| Nitric oxide | 5 | Vasodilating agent. | Hypoxic respiratory failure in neonates. |
| Noscapine | 1 | Opium alkaloid. | Cough suppressant. |
| PUL-042 | 2 | Agonists of Toll-like receptors. | Investigational drug. |
| Polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid | 1 | Upregulation of antitumor genes and the induction of cell apoptosis. | Possible anticancer activity. |
| Recombinant human ACE2 | 1 | Renin-angiotensin system peptidase. | Possible heart failure therapy. |
| Recombinant human interleukin-2 | 1 | T cell growth factor. | Melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. |
| Recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor | 1 | Mediating T cell tolerance. | Neutrophil-mediated inflammatory disease. |
| Sildenafil (urologicals) | 1 | Sigma receptor agonist activity. | Erectile dysfunction. |
| Suramin (antiprotozoals) | 1 | Macrofilaricidal. | African sleeping sickness and river blindness (Africa). |
| Thymosin | 3 | 5 Da polypeptide hormone. | Investigational drug for cancer. |
| Tranilast | 1 | Haematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase inhibitor. | Bronchial asthma, keloid, hypertrophic scar and allergic disorders (Japan and South Korea). |
| Triazavirin | 1 | Guanine nucleotide analogue that inhibits RNA synthesis. | Influenza A and B infections (Russia). |
| Antiviral+immunosuppressants‡ | 2 | ||
| Antimalarials+antibacterial‡ | 2 | ||
| Antimalarials+antivirals‡ | 10 | ||
| Antivirals+interferon‡ | 13 | ||
| Other combinations‡ | 3 |
*Column total exceeds 202 as some trials examine multiple drugs.
†Ritonavir and cobicistat inhibit CYP3A metabolism and increase blood concentration of the other antiviral drug.
‡Details on drug combinations are provided in table 3.
§One trial did not specify type of corticosteroid.
MERS, Middle East respiratory syndrome; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.