FDA Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program: approved drugs and those in clinical trials

Coronavirus disease is a highly infectious disease caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus, now recognized as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. This pandemic caused great stress in the general public and led to the collapse of healthcare system in some places. Till date, there has not been an effective vaccine or antiviral drug for its treatment. As at the time of write-up, scientists, researchers, and industries in different countries are working collaboratively to develop an effective therapy or alternative to combat this deadly and highly infectious virus. To combat or overcome these difficulties, the United States Food and Drug Administration launched an FDA Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP) to accelerate the development of new investigational drugs, biological therapies, vaccines, and medical devices for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. This chapter provides details about this, the role of FDA CTAP and the drugs they are evaluating for the treatment of this disease.