A breakdown of 6 of the most promising COVID-19 treatments

Hundreds of drugs are being tested to treat COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Below are six of the most promising treatments, according to Business Insider: 

1. Remdesivir — Gilead's drug, already tested on other viruses, remdesivir has been a front-runner as a possible COVID-19 treatment. The World Health Organization has called it "the most promising candidate," and there are five active clinical trials testing its effectiveness against COVID-19 taking place in China, the U.S. and South Korea, according to Business Insider.
   
   
2. Kaletra — Kaletra is an HIV drug made by AbbVie. Although a study published March 18 in the New England Journal of Medicine said Kaletra didn't show benefits in COVID-19 patients, the WHO said it will conduct a global study on four experimental treatments, including Kaletra, according to Business Insider.
   
   
3. Actemra and Kevzara — Actemra, made by Roche, and Kevzara, made by Regeneron and Sanofi, are both classified as IL-6 inhibitors and may work by stopping a biological mechanism that causes overactive inflammatory responses in patients' lungs, according to Business Insider. Both drugs are being tested in late-stage clinical trials.
   
   
4. Convalescent plasma — Convalescent plasma is blood plasma taken from COVID-19 patients who have recovered from the disease. That plasma contains antibodies that could help sick patients and boost their immune response, according to Business Insider. So far, two trials have shown promising results.
   
   
5. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine — Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are both antimalarial drugs. President Donald Trump has expressed hope for chloroquine's potential in treating COVID-19. The scientific community has not yet definitively confirmed its clinical effectiveness for this virus.
   
   
6. Avigan — Avigan is a flu drug made by Japan-based Fujifilm Toyama Chemical. A trial conducted in China showed Avigan helped patients recover seven days faster than patients on another antiviral drug called arbidol, and it also reduced the frequency of symptoms like coughing and fever, according to Business Insider. However, the drug is not approved in the U.S. 

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Editor's note: This article was updated April 8 at 11:21 a.m. CDT.