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Updated: Dec 22, 2025

Pharmacophore Modeling for Targets with Extensive Ligand Libraries: A Case Study on SARS-CoV-2 Mpro
Published on: September 26, 2025
Knowledge-based structural models of SARS-CoV-2 proteins and their complexes with potential drugs
Atsushi Hijikata1, Clara Shionyu-Mitsuyama1, Setsu Nakae1
1Faculty of Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Japan.
Abstract:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic. There is, however, no confirmed anti-COVID-19 therapeutic currently. In order to assist structure-based discovery efforts for repurposing drugs against this disease, we constructed knowledge-based models of SARS-CoV-2 proteins and compared the ligand molecules in the template structures with approved/experimental drugs and components of natural medicines. Our theoretical models suggest several drugs, such as carfilzomib, sinefungin, tecadenoson, and trabodenoson, that could be further investigated for their potential for treating COVID-19.
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