Broad-spectrum antiviral drug

Broad-spectrum antivirals (BSAs) are a class of molecules or compounds, which inhibit the infection of multiple viruses from the same (intra-family BSAs) or different (inter-family BSAs) virus families. BSAs could be divided into experimental and investigational agents, and approved drugs. BSAs work by inhibiting viral proteins (such as polymerases and proteases) or by targeting host cell factors and processes exploited by different viruses during infection.[1] As of 2021, there are 150 known BSAs in varying stages of development, effective against 78 human viruses.[2] BSAs are potential candidates for treatment of emerging and re-emerging viruses, such as ebola, marburg, and SARS-CoV-2.[3][4] Many BSAs show antiviral activity against other viruses than originally investigated (such as remdesivir and interferon alfa). Efforts in drug repurposing for SARS-CoV-2 is currently underway. A database of BSAs and viruses they inhibit could be found here (https://drugvirus.info/).

  1. ^ Bekerman E, Einav S (April 2015). "Infectious disease. Combating emerging viral threats". Science. 348 (6232): 282–3. doi:10.1126/science.aaa3778. PMC 4419706. PMID 25883340.
  2. ^ "DrugVirus.info". drugvirus.info. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
  3. ^ García-Serradilla M, Risco C, Pacheco B (April 2019). "Drug repurposing for new, efficient, broad spectrum antivirals". Virus Research. 264: 22–31. doi:10.1016/j.virusres.2019.02.011. PMC 7114681. PMID 30794895.
  4. ^ Andersen PI, Ianevski A, Lysvand H, Vitkauskiene A, Oksenych V, Bjørås M, et al. (April 2020). "Discovery and development of safe-in-man broad-spectrum antiviral agents". International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 93: 268–276. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.02.018. PMC 7128205. PMID 32081774.