The rapid and global spread of a new human coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has produced an immediate urgency to discover promising targets for the treatment of COVID-19. Drug repositioning is an attractive approach that can facilitate the drug discovery process by repurposing existing pharmaceuticals to treat illnesses other than their primary indications. Here, we review current information concerning the global health issue of COVID-19 including promising approved drugs and ongoing clinical trials for prospective treatment options. In addition, we describe computational approaches to be used in drug repurposing and highlight examples of in silico studies of drug development efforts against SARS-CoV-2.

新型人类冠状病毒 (SARS-CoV-2) 在全球范围内的迅速传播，迫切需要发现治疗 COVID-19 的有希望的靶点。药物重新定位是一种有吸引力的方法，可以通过重新利用现有药物来治疗主要适应症以外的疾病，从而促进药物发现过程。在这里，我们回顾了有关 COVID-19 全球健康问题的最新信息，包括有前途的批准药物和正在进行的前瞻性治疗方案的临床试验。此外，我们描述了用于药物再利用的计算方法，并重点介绍了针对 SARS-CoV-2 药物开发工作的计算机研究示例。