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Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Drug Repurposing Hypothesis Generation Using the "RE:fine Drugs" System
Published on: December 11, 2016
Quest for a COVID-19 Cure by Repurposing Small-Molecule Drugs: Mechanism of Action, Clinical Development, Synthesis
Chris De Savi1, David L Hughes2, Lisbet Kvaerno3
1Kymera Therapeutics, 300 Technology Square, Second Floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
Abstract:
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred an intense global effort to repurpose existing approved drugs for its treatment. In this review, we highlight the development of seven small-molecule drugs that are currently being assessed in clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19. Three sections are presented for each drug: (1) history, mechanism of action, and status of clinical trials; (2) scalable synthetic routes and final forms; and (3) outlook for supply should clinical trials show treatment efficacy. A brief overview of diagnostic testing and vaccine development is also presented.
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