Arch Med Res


. 2020 May 31;S0188-4409(20)30863-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2020.05.024. Online ahead of print.
Should We Try SARS-CoV-2 Helicase Inhibitors for COVID-19 Therapy?


Solomon Habtemariam 1 , Seyed Fazel Nabavi 2 , Maciej Banach 3 , Ioana Berindan-Neagoe 4 , Kasturi Sarkar 5 , Parames C Sil 6 , Seyed Mohammad Nabavi 7



Affiliations

Abstract

The discovery of new drugs for treating the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) or repurposing those already in use for other viral infections is possible through understanding of the viral replication cycle and pathogenicity. This article highlights the advantage of targeting one of the non-structural proteins, helicase (nsp13), over other SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Highlighting the experience gained from targeting Nsp13 in similar coronaviruses (SARS-CoV and MERS) and known inhibitors, the article calls for research on helicase inhibitors as potential COVID-19 therapy.

Keywords: COVID-19; Helicase; SARS-CoV-2.