Challenges in the development of therapeutics and vaccines for COVID 19

Sreeharan, N.

The Covid 19 (COV) pandemic has spread rapidly around the globe and the associated morbidity and mortality have been staggering. (1). Feelings of despair, fear and anxiety have arisen from the considerable uncertainty a new virus has unleashed into the global society, especially in the absence of approved therapies or a vaccine. The main modality to manage and control the spread of the virus has been the stringent public measures, including physical distancing, lock downs and travel restrictions. Repositioning some existing medications with well-defined benefit-risk profiles in other indications have also been attempted but many of these have limited evidence on the benefit-risk in COV patients, obtained mainly from in-vitro studies or inadequately powered clinical studies. It is now clear that an effective vaccine will be needed to bring the global pandemic under control. However, there are significant issues and challenges in the task of finding new therapeutics and vaccines for COV. Until the availability of effective therapeutics or vaccines, it is essential for societies to learn to adapt and manage the uncertainties of the post Covid era.