The research progress of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors from 2020 to 2022

  • Eur J Med Chem. 2023 Sep 5:257:115491. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115491.
Xiaojing Pang  1 ,  Wei Xu  2 ,  Yang Liu  1 ,  Hua Li  3 ,  Lixia Chen  4
Affiliations
  • 1. Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
  • 2. Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China.
  • 3. Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China; Institute of Structural Pharmacology & TCM Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4. Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 37244162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115491
Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread worldwide. The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a central role in viral replication and transcription and represents an attractive drug target for fighting COVID-19. Many SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors have been reported, including covalent and noncovalent inhibitors. The SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitor PF-07321332 (Nirmatrelvir) designed by Pfizer has been put on the market. This paper briefly introduces the structural characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and summarizes the research progress of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors from the aspects of drug repurposing and drug design. These information will provide a basis for the drug development of treating the Infection of SARS-CoV-2 and even Other coronaviruses in the future.

Keywords
COVID-19; Drug design; Drug repurposing; M(pro) inhibitors; SARS-CoV-2.
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