Breaking Barriers: Current Advances and Future Directions in Mpox Therapy

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Infectious Diseases
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Mpox is a zoonotic infection transmissible between animals and humans.
• Current treatment options for Mpox are limited, with uncertain efficacy and safety profiles for existing antivirals.
• There is a critical need for novel and effective therapeutic strategies against Mpox virus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore drug repurposing as a viable strategy for Mpox treatment.
• To identify existing drugs that can be repurposed to target Mpox virus.
• To provide an overview of potential therapeutic agents and their mechanisms of action.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing various approaches for identifying drugs targeting specific Mpox virus proteins.
• Investigating drug candidates that inhibit key viral enzymes and proteins.
• Analyzing the biological processes underlying the action of potential repurposed drugs.

Main Results:

• Several drug candidates have been identified through various screening methods.
• These candidates target essential Mpox virus proteins such as thymidylate kinase, D9 decapping enzyme, and DNA polymerase.
• The study highlights the potential of inhibiting viral replication through these targeted approaches.

Conclusions:

• Drug repurposing presents a promising avenue for developing effective Mpox therapies.
• Targeting specific viral proteins with repurposed drugs offers a strategic approach to combat Mpox.
• Further research into the efficacy and safety of these repurposed drugs is warranted.