Seven small-molecule anti-coronavirus drugs are currently in clinical research, renowned Chinese epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan has said.

Researchers have found that ACE2, a type of enzyme receptor for the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), also plays a key role in the 2019-nCoV's interaction with human cells.

"We have developed some effective treatment plans based on successful experience and practices from fighting against SARS. The use of multiple life support measures has increased the success rate of treatment," Xinhua cited Zhong, a pivotal figure in the country’s fight against the Sars epidemic in 2002-03, as saying.

According to Zhong, more clinical evidence is needed to prove the effect of drugs used in some individual cases and it takes time for the vaccine against the virus not yet developed to go into clinical application.

“We have developed an effective treatment plan based on our experience of dealing with Sars, by employing various life support methods to [achieve] a higher rate of recovery,” Zhong said.

The World Health Organization also said it was working with partners to speed up drug research and development to treat the pneumonia-like illness. It said although antibiotics did not work on viruses, only bacterial infections, patients may also be given antibiotics to fight co-infections.