Combining Antivirals and Immunomodulators to Fight COVID-19

The majority of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)infected individuals remain paucisymptomatic, contrasting with a minority of infected individuals in danger of death. Here, we speculate that the robust disease resistance of most individuals is due to a swift production of type I interferon (IFN alpha/beta), presumably sufficient to lower the viremia. A minority of infected individuals with a preexisting chronic inflammatory state fail to mount this early efficient response, leading to a delayed harmful inflammatory response. To improve the epidemiological scenario, we propose combining: (i) the development of efficient antivirals administered early enough to assist in the production of endogenous IFN alpha/beta; (ii) potentiating early IFN responses; (iii) administering anti-inflammatory treatments when needed, but not too early to interfere with endogenous antiviral responses.

Automated summary

Most individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 have mild symptoms, possibly due to their ability to rapidly produce interferons, while a minority of infected individuals with chronic inflammatory conditions lack this early efficient response.