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Review
. 2020 Jul;40(7):659-671.
doi: 10.1002/phar.2429. Epub 2020 Jun 28.

Remdesivir: Review of Pharmacology, Pre-clinical Data, and Emerging Clinical Experience for COVID-19

Sarah C J Jorgensen  1 , Razieh Kebriaei  2 , Linda D Dresser  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Remdesivir: Review of Pharmacology, Pre-clinical Data, and Emerging Clinical Experience for COVID-19

Sarah C J Jorgensen et al. Pharmacotherapy. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

The global pandemic of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has created an urgent need for effective antivirals. Remdesivir (formerly GS-5734) is a nucleoside analogue pro-drug currently being evaluated in COVID-19 clinical trials. Its unique structural features allow high concentrations of the active triphosphate metabolite to be delivered intracellularly and it evades proofreading to successfully inhibit viral RNA synthesis. In pre-clinical models, remdesivir has demonstrated potent antiviral activity against diverse human and zoonotic β-coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. In this article, we critically review available data on remdesivir with an emphasis on biochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and in vitro activity against coronaviruses as well as clinical experience and current progress in COVID-19 clinical trials.

Keywords: COVID-19; GS-5734; Remdesivir; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; severe acute respiratory syndrome.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structures of remdesivir and its metabolites.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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