Antiviral drug discovery and development: challenges and future directions

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Pharmacology
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic spurred significant research into antiviral therapies against SARS-CoV-2.
• Numerous potential drugs and clinical trials have advanced antiviral drug development.
• Existing efforts have yielded substantial progress in identifying and developing antiviral interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive timeline of antiviral drug development.
• To outline current advancements in antiviral drug discovery, including strategies and optimization.
• To discuss challenges and future prospects informed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious diseases.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical progression of antiviral agents from early inhibitors to broad-spectrum drugs.
• Analysis of current antiviral drug discovery approaches: target-based, mechanism-based, and pharmacokinetic optimization.
• Exploration of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and nanotechnology in drug development.

Main Results:

• Significant advancements in antiviral drug discovery and development have been achieved.
• Artificial intelligence is increasingly used for protein structure prediction, target identification, and bioactivity forecasting.
• Nanotechnology has proven vital for drug delivery and vaccine development, such as mRNA vaccines.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development of novel antiviral strategies.
• Future drug discovery may leverage AI, medicinal chemistry, nanotechnology, and targeting novel mechanisms like phase separation.
• Continued innovation is crucial for effective control of viral infections and future pandemics.