Pharmacological strategies to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and treat the early phases of COVID-19

A novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It emerged in China in 2019 and has since spread worldwide. COVID-19 has a wide spectrum of clinical scenarios, ranging from totally asymptomatic to death. Prevention remains the best approach against SARS-CoV-2 infection and a number of strategies have been adopted, including social and medical interventions. Some vaccines have been proposed and several pharmacological approaches, mainly based on repurposing drugs, are currently under investigation and require validation. This review summarizes the ongoing clinical trials using pharmacological strategies, including vaccines, as prophylaxis to avoid SARS-CoV-2 infection or limit its transmission, and as early treatment of COVID-19 to prevent severe clinical outcomes.