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Challenges of drug development during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Key considerations for clinical trial designs
Author(s) -
Shi Jun,
Xiao Yubo,
Zhang Yiting,
Geng Donghao,
Cong Danhua,
Shi Kevin X.,
Knapp Richard J.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/bcp.14629
Subject(s) - favipiravir , covid-19 , pandemic , clinical trial , lopinavir , drug development , hydroxychloroquine , medicine , ritonavir , intensive care medicine , tocilizumab , drug , pharmacology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , virology , antiretroviral therapy , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , viral load , outbreak
There is an urgent need for targeted and effective COVID‐19 treatments. Several medications, including hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, lopinavir–ritonavir, favipiravir, tocilizumab and others have been identified as potential treatments for COVID‐19. Bringing these repurposed medications to the public for COVID‐19 requires robust and high‐quality clinical trials that must be conducted under extremely challenging pandemic conditions. This article reviews translational science principles and strategies for conducting clinical trials in a pandemic and evaluates recent trials for different drug candidates. We hope that this knowledge will help focus efforts during this crisis and lead to the expedited development and approval of COVID‐19 therapies.