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Review
. 2014 Oct:8:45-53.
doi: 10.1016/j.coviro.2014.06.002. Epub 2014 Jul 2.

Antiviral drugs specific for coronaviruses in preclinical development

Adeyemi O Adedeji  1 , Stefan G Sarafianos  2
Affiliations
Review

Antiviral drugs specific for coronaviruses in preclinical development

Adeyemi O Adedeji et al. Curr Opin Virol. 2014 Oct.

Abstract

Coronaviruses are positive stranded RNA viruses that cause respiratory, enteric and central nervous system diseases in many species, including humans. Until recently, the relatively low burden of disease in humans caused by few of these viruses impeded the development of coronavirus specific therapeutics. However, the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and more recently, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), has impelled the development of such drugs. This review focuses on some newly identified SARS-CoV inhibitors, with known mechanisms of action and their potential to inhibit the novel MERS-CoV. The clinical development of optimized versions of such compounds could be beneficial for the treatment and control of SARS-CoV, the current MERS-CoV and other future SARS-like epidemics.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Names and chemical structures of examples of SARS-CoV 3CLP and PLP protease inhibitors.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Names and chemical structures of examples of SARS-CoV helicase inhibitors.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Model for the different stages of SARS-CoV entry that are potential antiviral targets.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Examples of SARS-CoV entry inhibitors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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