Off-label therapy targeting pathogenic inflammation in COVID-19

The world is facing a pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) for which no proven specific therapies are available other than supportive ones. From the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, in China and in other countries patients have received off-label and compassionate use therapies, such as interferon (IFN)-α combined with the repurposed drug Kaletra, an approved cocktail of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors ritonavir and lopinavir, chloroquine, azithromycin, favipiravir, remdesivir, steroids, and anti-interleukin (IL)-6 inhibitors, based on either their in vitro antiviral or anti-inflammatory properties.