Review on development of potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (MPro)
Soumya G Katre, Alpana Jagdish Asnani, Pratyush Kumar, Nilima Gangadhar Sakharkar, Ashwini Gajanan Bhope, Kanchan Tekram Sawarkar, Vaibhav Santosh Nimbekar
Abstract
Abstract Background The etiological agent for the coronavirus illness outbreak in 2019–2020 is a novel coronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (COVID-19), whereas coronavirus disease pandemic of 2019 (COVID-19) has compelled the implementation of novel therapeutic options. Main body of the abstract There are currently no targeted therapeutic medicines for this condition, and effective treatment options are quite restricted; however, new therapeutic candidates targeting the viral replication cycle are being investigated. The primary protease of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus is a major target for therapeutic development (M Pro ). Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) all seem to have a structurally conserved substrate-binding domain that can be used to develop novel protease inhibitors. Short conclusion With the recent publication of the X-ray crystal structure of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Mm, virtual and in vitro screening investigations to find M Pro inhibitors are fast progressing. The focus of this review is on recent advancements in the quest for small-molecule inhibitors of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 main protease.