Pharma R&D Today

Exploiting similarities between SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses to accelerate vaccine and therapy development

Posted on April 17th, 2020 by Paul Dockerty in COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is now present in 230 countries, areas or territories around the world. As of April 15, 2020, the World Health Organization has reported 117,021 deaths [1]. Researchers across the globe are collaborating to develop antivirals and vaccines. In this context, understanding the vast amount of data published on SARS-CoV and other viruses is key to tackling the challenge of containing the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

Hydroxychloroquine and the Coronavirus: Connecting the Dots Through the Biology Knowledge Graph

Posted on April 16th, 2020 by Hongbao Cao in COVID-19

It would be hard to miss the current interest in finding effective treatment for COVID-19. In this regard, the combination of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) with azithromycin is getting a great deal of attention. HCQ, sold under the brand name Plaquenil, is a well-known anti-malarial drug, while azithromycin is a common antibiotic that is usually used for the treatment of strep throat (the widely used Zithromax, Z-Pak).

Five drug development strategies to combat 2019 novel coronavirus

Posted on April 15th, 2020 by Dr. Anton Yuryev in COVID-19

This article was originally published on Feb 28, 2020, and has been updated on Apr 13, 2020.

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread from its starting point in Wuhan, China. As of February 23, 2020, a total of 32 countries and territories have reported 78,811 cases (98% in China) and 2462 deaths [1]. The international scientific community is in a race against time. Researchers across the globe are collaborating to develop antivirals and vaccines to contain the spread of 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

Increase visibility of your COVID-19 clinical findings with SSRN

Posted on April 9th, 2020 by Gregory J. Gordon in COVID-19

Quickly communicating pertinent clinical information, such as research regarding patient treatments, is critical during public health crises like the ongoing novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the standard publication process for scientific articles, including peer review, can take as long as two years, and this slow pace of scientific publication can interfere with response to the public health emergency. A faster means for relaying information on COVID-19 research is required.

Fortunately, a more expedient way to disseminate ongoing research information is already available through the use of preprint servers, such as Elsevier’s SSRN. With preprint server publication, research becomes available online pre–peer review for public review and comment as soon as the server verifies certain standards are met (e.g., content is complete, patient privacy was protected). The time taken between article submission and online publication is much faster, typically in the range of hours to days.