Discovery, Development, and Patent Trends on Molnupiravir: A Prospective Oral Treatment for COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic needs no introduction at present. Only a few treatments are available for this disease, including remdesivir and favipiravir. Accordingly, the pharmaceutical industry is striving to develop new treatments for COVID-19. Molnupiravir, an orally active RdRp inhibitor, is in a phase 3 clinical trial against COVID-19. The objective of this review article is to enlighten the researchers working on COVID-19 about the discovery, recent developments, and patents related to molnupiravir. Molnupiravir was originally developed for the treatment of influenza at Emory University, USA. However, this drug has also demonstrated activity against a variety of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Now it is being jointly developed by Emory University, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, and Merck to treat COVID-19. The published clinical data indicate a good safety profile, tolerability, and oral bioavailability of molnupiravir in humans. The patient-compliant oral dosage form of molnupiravir may hit the market in the first or second quarter of 2022. The patent data of molnupiravir revealed its granted compound patent and process-related patent applications. We also anticipate patent filing related to oral dosage forms, inhalers, and a combination of molnupiravir with marketed drugs like remdesivir, favipiravir, and baricitinib. The current pandemic demands a patient compliant, safe, tolerable, and orally effective COVID-19 treatment. The authors believe that molnupiravir meets these requirements and is a breakthrough COVID-19 treatment.

Corticosteroid therapy for 2019-nCoV-infected patients: A case series of eight mechanically ventilated patients.

High-dose short-term corticosteroid therapy is effective and produces favorable clinical outcome in patients with severe 2019-nCoV infection who are candidates for mechanical ventilation with close monitor/ing for the adverse effect of corticosteroids.

Public and healthcare providers awareness of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The rapid and extensive spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has become a major cause of concern for both general public and healthcare profession. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to analyze and evaluate the awareness of both the general public and healthcare providers in Qassim region in Saudi Arabia. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted randomly in different shopping malls in Qassim region from 10th of February to 10th of March 2020. All participants have answered the designed questionnaire. The structured questionnaire recorded demographics and awareness of both public participants as well as health care providers. RESULT: A total of 130 participants have answered the designed questionnaire, out of which 67participants were males (58.5%) and 54 were females (41.5%). Overall, 129 (99%) out of the 130 participants are aware of COVID-19, and 116 (90%) have recognize it as a respiratory disease and 100% of the participants have recognized it as a contagious disease. Around 94% of the participants were able to recognize the correct incubation period of the virus. Participants of the age group 20-40 showed higher awareness level than other age groups (P value = 0.005). In addition, government employees showed higher awareness level than other profession groups (P = 0.039). Results showed significant positive correlation between the recognition of high-risk groups, reliable source of information, infection symptoms, disease prevention and available treatments. CONCLUSION: General public and health care professionals from Qassim Region showed adequate awareness of COVID-19. However, there is a strong need to implement periodic educational interventions and training programs on infection control practices for COVID-19 across all healthcare professions.