TY - JOUR AB - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) outbreak, which has caused >46 millions confirmed infections and >1.2 million coronavirus related deaths, is one of the most devastating worldwide crises in recent years. Infection with COVID‑19 results in a fever, dry cough, general fatigue, respiratory symptoms, diarrhoea and a sore throat, similar to those of acute respiratory distress syndrome. The causative agent of COVID‑19, SARS‑CoV‑2, is a novel coronavirus strain. To date, remdesivir has been granted emergency use authorization for use in the management of infection. Additionally, several efficient diagnostic tools are being actively developed, and novel drugs and vaccines are being evaluated for their efficacy as therapeutic agents against COVID‑19, or in the prevention of infection. The present review highlights the prevalent clinical manifestations of COVID‑19, characterizes the SARS‑CoV‑2 viral genome sequence and life cycle, highlights the optimal methods for preventing viral transmission, and discusses possible molecular pharmacological mechanisms and approaches in the development of anti‑SARS‑CoV‑2 therapeutic agents. In addition, the use of traditional Chinese medicines for management of COVID‑19 is discussed. It is expected that novel anti‑viral agents, vaccines or an effective combination therapy for treatment/management of SARS‑CoV‑2 infection and spread therapy will be developed and implemented in 2021, and we would like to extend our best regards to the frontline health workers across the world in their fight against COVID‑19. AD - Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, R.O.C. Department of Sport Performance, National Taiwan University of Sport, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, R.O.C. Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, R.O.C. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veteran General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan, R.O.C. Drug Development Center, Institute of New Drug Development, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, R.O.C. Biomedical Technology and Device Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu 310401, Taiwan, R.O.C. School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, R.O.C. Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan, R.O.C. Department of Pharmacy, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien 97002, Taiwan, R.O.C. School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, R.O.C. AU - Tsai,Shih‑Chang AU - Lu,Chi‑Cheng AU - Bau,Da‑Tian AU - Chiu,Yu‑Jen AU - Yen,Yu‑Ting AU - Hsu,Yuan‑Man AU - Fu,Chih‑Wei AU - Kuo,Sheng‑Chu AU - Lo,Yu‑Shiang AU - Chiu,Hong‑Yi AU - Juan,Yu‑Ning AU - Tsai,Fuu‑Jen AU - Yang,Jai‑Sing DA - 2021/01/01 DO - 10.3892/ijmm.2020.4794 EP - 22 IS - 1 JO - Int J Mol Med KW - angiotensin‑converting enzyme 2 acute respiratory distress syndrome chloroquine COVID‑19 3‑chymotrypsin‑like cysteine protease hydroxychloroquine traditional Chinese medicine transmembrane protease serine 2 PY - 2021 SN - 1107-3756 1791-244X SP - 3 ST - Approaches towards fighting the COVID‑19 pandemic (Review) T2 - International Journal of Molecular Medicine TI - Approaches towards fighting the COVID‑19 pandemic (Review) UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2020.4794 VL - 47 ER -