Discovery and development of safe-in-man broad-spectrum antiviral agents. (April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Andersen, Petter I.; Ianevski, Aleksandr; Lysvand, Hilde; Vitkauskiene, Astra; Oksenych, Valentyn; Bjørås, Magnar; Telling, Kaidi; Lutsar, Irja; Dumpis, Uga; Irie, Yasuhiko; Tenson, Tanel; Kantele, Anu; Kainov, Denis E.
• Is Part Of: International journal of infectious diseases. Volume 93(2020)
• Page Start: 268
• Page End: 276
• Publication Date: 2020-04
• Subjects: Virus -- Antiviral drug -- Drug discovery and development -- Broad-spectrum antiviral agents -- BSAAs; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.02.018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1201-9712

Abstract

Highlights: We reviewed the discovery and development process of broad-spectrum antiviral agents. We summarized the information on 120 safe-in-man agents in a freely accessible database. Further studies will increase the number of broad-spectrum antivirals, expand the spectrum of their indications, and identify drug combinations for treatment of emerging and re-emerging viral infections. Abstract: Viral diseases are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. Virus-specific vaccines and antiviral drugs are the most powerful tools to combat viral diseases. However, broad-spectrum antiviral agents (BSAAs, i.e. compounds targeting viruses belonging to two or more viral families) could provide additional protection of the general population from emerging and re-emerging viral diseases, reinforcing the arsenal of available antiviral options. Here, we review discovery and development of BSAAs and summarize the information on 120 safe-in-man agents in a freely accessible database (https://drugvirus.info/ ). Future and ongoing pre-clinical and clinical studies will increase the number of BSAAs, expand the spectrum of their indications, and identify drug combinations for treatment of emerging and re-emerging viral infections as well as co-infections.