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Small-molecule Antiviral Agents in Ongoing Clinical Trials for COVID-19

Çağla Begüm Apaydın1, Gözde Çınar1, Gökçe Cihan-Üstündağ1

  • 1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul University, Istanbul, 34116, Turkey.

Current Drug Targets
|February 16, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Repurposed antiviral drugs are being investigated for treating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This review examines small-molecule agents in clinical trials, including polymerase inhibitors and entry inhibitors, to combat the global pandemic.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Drug Discovery

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has led to millions of cases and deaths globally.
  • Effective treatments are urgently needed, as no proven therapies currently exist.
  • Drug repurposing is a key strategy for rapid development of COVID-19 therapeutics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review small-molecule repurposed antiviral agents in clinical trials for COVID-19.
  • To summarize preclinical and clinical data for these agents.
  • To discuss their mechanisms of action.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of published preclinical and clinical data.
  • Focus on small-molecule drugs repurposed for COVID-19 treatment.
  • Categorization of drugs by mechanism of action (e.g., polymerase inhibitors, entry inhibitors).

Main Results:

  • Identified numerous repurposed antiviral agents under investigation.
  • Included drugs targeting viral polymerase, protease, entry, and fusion.
  • Also covered agents with diverse or unclear mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • Small-molecule drug repurposing is a vital approach in the fight against COVID-19.
  • Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating a range of antiviral agents.
  • Further research into efficacy and mechanisms is crucial for treatment development.
Keywords:
COVID-19SARS-CoV-2antiviral therapyclinical trialmechanism of action.preclinical study

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