Role of monoclonal antibody drugs in the treatment of COVID-19

Abstract

Currently clinicians all around the world are experiencing a pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The clinical presentation of this pathology includes fever, dry cough, fatigue and acute respiratory distress syndrome that can lead to death infected patients. Current studies on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to highlight the urgent need for an effective therapy. Numerous therapeutic strategies have been used until now but, to date, there is no specific effective treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Elevated inflammatory cytokines have been reported in patients with COVID-19. Evidence suggests that elevated cytokine levels, reflecting a hyperinflammatory response secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection, are responsible for multi-organ damage in patients with COVID-19. For these reason, numerous randomized clinical trials are currently underway to explore the effectiveness of biopharmaceutical drugs, such as, interleukin-1 blockers, interleukin-6 inhibitors, Janus kinase inhibitors, in COVID-19. The aim of the present paper is to briefly summarize the pathogenetic rationale and the state of the art of therapeutic strategy blocking hyperinflammation.

Keywords: Anakinra; Baricitinib; Canakinumab; Clazakizumab; Ruxolitinib; Sarilumab; Siltuximab; Tocilizumab; Tofacitinib.

Figure 1

The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of tran-ions pathway. IFN: Interferon; IL: Interleukin; JAK: Janus kinase; STAT: Signal transducer and activator of tran-ions.