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Visualization of SARS-CoV-2 using Immuno RNA-Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization
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Coronavirus Disease 2019: Virology and Drug Targets

Praveen Thaggikuppe Krishnamurthy1

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, (A constituent College of JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research), Ooty, Tamilnadu,India.

Infectious Disorders Drug Targets
|December 10, 2020
PubMed

Insights

This review explores Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) virology and drug repurposing strategies. It details SARS-CoV-2 proteins and current antiviral drug development, focusing on FDA-approved medications.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Drug Discovery
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, poses significant global health and economic challenges.
  • Vaccine development is ongoing, but immediate therapeutic strategies are crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of SARS-CoV-2 virology, including its structural, non-structural, and accessory proteins.
  • To discuss various drug discovery strategies, with a focus on repurposing FDA-approved drugs.
  • To summarize the current status of antiviral drug development for COVID-19.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of SARS-CoV-2 virology.
  • Analysis of drug repurposing, artificial intelligence, and high-throughput screening methodologies.
  • Examination of current antiviral drug development pipelines.

Main Results:

  • Detailed overview of key SARS-CoV-2 target proteins: S-glycoprotein, 3-chymotrypsin-like protease, papain-like protease, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and helicase.
  • Exploration of drug repurposing as a viable strategy for rapid therapeutic development.
  • Summary of promising antiviral candidates and their developmental stages.

Conclusions:

  • Drug repurposing offers a promising avenue for accelerating the availability of COVID-19 treatments.
  • Continued research into SARS-CoV-2 targets and drug discovery methods is essential.
  • Understanding viral mechanisms is key to developing effective antiviral therapies.
Keywords:
CoVID-19S-glycoprotein.SARS-CoV-2WHOdrug targetsvirology

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