Pharmacogenetics and Precision Medicine Approaches for the Improvement of COVID-19 Therapies

• Published in: Frontiers in pharmacology 2022-02, Vol.13, p.835136
• Main Authors: Biswas, Mohitosh, Sawajan, Nares, Rungrotmongkol, Thanyada, Sanachai, Kamonpan, Ershadian, Maliheh, Sukasem, Chonlaphat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; drug-drug interactions; molecular docking; pathogenesis and severity; pharmacogenetics; Pharmacology; repurposed drugs
• ISSN: 1663-9812; 1663-9812
• DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.835136

Many drugs are being administered to tackle coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic situations without establishing clinical effectiveness or tailoring safety. A repurposing strategy might be more effective and successful if pharmacogenetic interventions are being considered in future clinical studies/trials. Although it is very unlikely that there are almost no pharmacogenetic data for COVID-19 drugs, however, from inferring the pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic(PD) properties and some pharmacogenetic evidence in other diseases/clinical conditions, it is highly likely that pharmacogenetic associations are also feasible in at least some COVID-19 drugs. We strongly mandate to undertake a pharmacogenetic assessment for at least these drug-gene pairs (atazanavir- , , , ; efavirenz- ; nevirapine- , , ; lopinavir- , ; ribavirin- ; tocilizumab- ; ivermectin- ; oseltamivir- , ; clopidogrel- , , warfarin- , ; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)- ) in COVID-19 patients for advancing precision medicine. Molecular docking and computational studies are promising to achieve new therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The current situation in the discovery of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents at four important targets from studies has been described and summarized in this review. Although natural occurring compounds from different herbs against SARS-CoV-2 infection are favorable, however, accurate experimental investigation of these compounds is warranted to provide insightful information. Moreover, clinical considerations of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) and drug-herb interactions (DHIs) of the existing repurposed drugs along with pharmacogenetic (e.g., efavirenz and ) and herbogenetic (e.g., andrographolide and ) interventions, collectively called multifactorial drug-gene interactions (DGIs), may further accelerate the development of precision COVID-19 therapies in the real-world clinical settings.