Lay Summary: An innovative analysis is evaluating the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim is to increase knowledge of possible viral detection methods, which highlights several new technology limitations and advantages. We have assessed some drugs currently for patients (Lopinavir, Ritonavir, Anakinra and Interferon beta 1a), as the feasibility of COVID-19 specific antivirals is not presently known. The study explores the race toward vaccine development and highlights some significant trials and candidates in various clinical phases. This research addresses critical knowledge gaps by identifying repurposed drugs currently under clinical trials. Findings will be fed back rapidly to the researchers interested in COVID 19 and support the evidence and potential of possible therapeutics and small molecules with their mode of action.

FINDINGS: The traditional belief of sterile lungs was challenged by the emergence of culture-independent molecular techniques and the recently introduced invasive broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) sampling method. The constitution of a lung microbiome mainly depends on three main ecological factors, which include; firstly, the immigration of microbes into airways, secondly, the removal of microbes from airways and lastly, the regional growth conditions. In healthy conditions, the microbial communities that co-exist in our lungs can build significant pulmonary immunity and could act as a barrier against diseases, whereas, in an adverse way, microbiomes may interact with other pathogenic bacteriomes and viromes, acting as a cofactor in inflammation and host immune responses, which may lead to the progression of a disease. Thus, the use of microbiota as a target, and as a drug delivery system in the possible modification of a disease state, has started to gain massive attention in recent years. Microbiota, owing to its unique characteristics, could serve as a potential drug delivery system, that could be bioengineered to suit the interest. The engineered microbiome-derived therapeutics can be delivered through BC, bacteriophage, bacteria-derived lipid vesicles and microbe-derived extracellular vesicles. This review highlights the relationships between microbiota and different types of respiratory diseases, the importance of microbiota towards human health and diseases, including the role of novel microbiome drug delivery systems in targeting various respiratory diseases.

FINDINGS: Generally, the pros and cons of each of the gene-based therapies have been discussed based on the results collected from the literature. However, there are certain interventions that require further detailed studies to ensure their effectiveness. We have also highlighted the future direction and perspectives in gene therapy, which, researchers could benefit from.

CONCLUSION: It is clear that the novel drug delivery approaches include vaccines, adoptive transfer of primed immune cells, recombinant cytokines, therapeutic antibodies, and nanoparticles, which have immunomodulatory effects. Such advancements in targeting various underpinning mechanisms using the concept of novel drug delivery will provide a new dimension to the fungal infection clinic particularly due to Candida species with improved patient compliance and lesser side effects. This advancement in knowledge can also be extended to target various other similar microbial species and infections.