Plea for multitargeted interventions for severe COVID-19
In this article, authors discuss the nature of host inflammatory response in COVID-19 infection and suggests although some drugs might have clinically meaningful effects on viral burden, it is likely that both antivirals and blockage of inflammatory pathways are needed
Source:
The Lancet Infectious Diseases
SPS commentary:
Authors highlight that without studying combinations, and their potential synergies or additive effects, potentially useful agents could be disregarded. Furthermore, in the absence of synergistic combinations, single drugs might cause more harm e.g. antivirals may enhance inflammatory responses. Because of the urgency of the current situation and, so far, an absence of clear evidence of a clinically meaningful effect of any monotherapy strategy, investigators should join their efforts in studying combined approaches rather than adaptive or sequential studies of a single strategy.