Recent advances and perspectives in therapeutics for mpox

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Infectious Diseases
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), presents a global health concern with significant transmission risks.
• Existing treatments for mpox are limited, relying on smallpox vaccines and broad-spectrum antivirals like tecovirimat, highlighting a need for specific anti-MPXV agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the characteristics of the monkeypox virus (MPXV), including its structure, genome, and replication.
• To summarize recent advancements in the development of small molecule anti-MPXV agents.
• To discuss challenges and provide perspectives for future anti-MPXV drug development.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of MPXV characteristics.
• Analysis of recent research on small molecule anti-MPXV agent development.
• Discussion of obstacles in drug development and potential solutions.

Main Results:

• MPXV exhibits specific viral characteristics relevant to therapeutic targeting.
• Progress has been made in identifying and developing small molecule inhibitors against MPXV.
• Key challenges include incomplete understanding of virus biology, lack of suitable disease models, and limited clinical evaluation resources.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for novel, specific antiviral therapies against mpox.
• Overcoming developmental hurdles is essential to accelerate the creation of effective anti-MPXV treatments.
• This research contributes to preparedness against current and future orthopoxvirus threats.