Antiviral drug discovery: preparing for the next pandemic
Catherine S. Adamson, Kelly Chibale, Rebecca J. M. Goss, Marcel Jaspars, David Newman, Rosemary A. Dorrington
Abstract
Clinically approved antiviral drugs are currently available for only 10 of the more than 220 viruses known to infect humans. The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has exposed the critical need for compounds that can be rapidly mobilised for the treatment of re-emerging or emerging viral diseases, while vaccine development is underway. We review the current status of antiviral therapies focusing on RNA viruses, highlighting strategies for antiviral drug discovery and discuss the challenges, solutions and options to accelerate drug discovery efforts.
Topics & Concepts
Antiviral drugDrug discoveryPandemicCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)DrugVirologyAntiviral treatment2019-20 coronavirus outbreakMedicineAntiviral therapyOutbreakIntensive care medicineVirusBiologyPharmacologyBioinformaticsInfectious disease (medical specialty)DiseaseChronic hepatitisPathologySARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Researchinterferon and immune responsesInfluenza Virus Research Studies