LAUSR

SARS-CoV-2, a betacoronavirus is the infectious viral agent causing the current pandemic of COVID-19. The disease causes acute respiratory distress syndrome, an inflammatory response which is the major cause of mortality of this disease. The current pandemic has been projected to cause hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide. Currently, even with social distancing control strategies in place, the predicted death toll is still within the hundreds of thousands. It is therefore of paramount importance to explore any possible diagnostic and therapeutic option that may reduce the burden of disease. The definitive solution to this global crisis will likely come from the development of an effective vaccine which is likely to take longer than one year. In the meantime, it is important to evaluate a variety of therapeutic targets which can improve the prognosis of patients with severe COVID-19 infections, particularly to reduce the need for intensive care units, which have been quickly overwhelmed in many countries.