Disclaimer: This article is a summary of Research article by Sheahan et al, Pre-print published on BioRxiv. This research article at the time of writing this summary has not been peer-reviewed.
SARS-CoV-2 is a zoonotic virus which causes the disease COVID-19 and there are currently no approved therapies. Sheahan et al recently pre-published a paper that states that ribonucleoside analog β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC, EIDD-1931) has broad spectrum antiviral activity against SARS-CoV 2, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and related zoonotic group 2b or 2c Bat-CoV. The researchers also stated that there is an increased potency against a coronavirus bearing resistance mutations to another nucleoside analog inhibitor.
EIDD-2801, an orally bioavailable NHC-prodrug (b-D-N4-hydroxycytidine-5’-isopropyl ester) was also shown to improve pulmonary function and reduce virus titre in mice infected with SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV. NHC/EIDD-2801 was shown to be potent against multiple coronaviruses and therapeutically effective which highlights its potential as an effective antiviral against SARS-CoV-2 and other future zoonotic coronaviruses.
Journal Article: BioRxiv – Sheahan, T.P. et al. An orally bioavailable broad-spectrum antiviral inhibits SARS-CoV-2 and multiple endemic, epidemic and bat coronavirus
Article by Bonamy Holtak
