J Med Virol
. 2022 Sep 13.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.28143. Online ahead of print.
Pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitors to combat COVID-19 and other emerging coronavirus infectious diseases
Qiaoshuai Lan 1 , Lijue Wang 1 , Fanke Jiao 1 , Lu Lu 1 , Shuai Xia 1 , Shibo Jiang 1
Affiliations
- PMID: 36098460
- DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28143
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the currently ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, has posed a serious threat to global public health. Recently, several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) have emerged and caused numerous cases of reinfection in convalescent COVID-19 patients, as well as breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals. This calls for the development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs to combat SARS-CoV-2 and its VOCs. Pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitors, targeting the conserved HR1 in spike protein S2 subunit, can broadly and potently inhibit infection of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, as well as other human coronaviruses (HCoVs). In this review, we summarized the most recent development of pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitors, such as EK1, EK1C4, and EKL1C, and highlighted their potential application in combating current COVID-19 infection and reinfection, as well as future emerging coronavirus infectious diseases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; EK1; coronavirus; fusion inhibitor; heptad repeat 1; lipopeptide.