RT - Journal TY - JOUR A1 - Shetty, Rohit A1 - Ghosh, Arkasubhra A1 - Honavar, Santosh A1 - Khamar, Pooja A1 - Sethu, Swaminathan T1 - Therapeutic opportunities to manage COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 infection: Present and future YR - 2020/5/1 JF - Indian Journal of Ophthalmology JO - Indian J Ophthalmol SP - 693 OP - 702 VO - 68 IS - 5 UL - https://journals.lww.com/ijo/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2020;volume=68;issue=5;spage=693;epage=702;aulast=Shetty;t=5 DO - 10.4103/ijo.IJO_639_20 N2 - A severe form of respiratory disease – COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, has evolved into a pandemic resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. The unabated spread of the disease is due to lack of vaccine and effective therapeutic agents against this novel virus. Hence, the situation demands an immediate need to explore all the plausible therapeutic and prophylactic strategies that can be made available to stem the spread of the disease. Towards this effort, the current review outlines the key aspects of the pathobiology associated with the morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients, which includes a viral response phase and an exaggerated host response phase. The review also summarizes therapeutic agents that are currently being explored along with those with potential for consideration. The broad groups of therapeutic agents discussed include those that: (i) block viral entry to host cells, (ii) block viral replication and survival in host cells, and (iii) dampen exaggerated host immune response. The various kinds of pharmaceutical prophylactic options that may be followed to prevent COVID-19 have also been discussed. ER -