Why candidate drugs(remdesivir, favipiravir, chloroquine, and lopinavir/ritonavir) used for COVID-19 ?

Remdesivir, a broad-spectrum antiviral drug developed by Gilead sciences pharmaceutical company.

• Route of administration by injection
• mechanism of action:- Active metabolite of remdesivir interfere with the action of RDRP( RNA dependent RNA polymerase) and decrease viral RNA production.
• brand name VEKLURY

Favipiravir, an antiviral drug generally used to treat influenza due to the property of decreased viral load. favipiravir also used to treat in case of mild COVID-19 patients. In India, GLENMARK’S gets accelerated approval for Favipiravir to treat corona patients.

• Route of administration oral by tablets
• Mechanism of action:- interferes the action of RDRP
• Brand name AVIGAN and FABIFLU

Chloroquine, an antimalarial drug also used to treat mild COVID-19 patients. But due to adverse effects on cardiac activity, clinical trials disapproved.

• mechanism of action:- 1.drug interferes with ACE-2 receptors, thus the virus not bind properly with ACE-2 2. drug increase the PH of acidic cellular organelles, so altered post-translation modification of newly synthesized polyprotein.

Lopinavir/Ritonavir used to treat HIV/AIDS. Due to the property of decreased viral load also effective in the case of COVID -19.

• mechanism of action:- Inhibit protease that results in the formation of defective virus and viral load decrease.
• brand name KALETRA