scholarly journals Repurposing drugs for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection: Computational design insights into mechanisms of action

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shubhangi Kandwal ◽  
Darren Fayne
Keyword(s):  
Human Life ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Protein Targets ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Approved Drugs

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected human life globally. It has led to economic crises and health emergencies across the world, spreading rapidly among the human population and has caused many deaths. Currently, there are no treatments available for COVID-19 so there is an urgent need to develop therapeutic interventions that could be used against the novel coronavirus infection. In this research, we used computational drug design technologies to repurpose existing drugs as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins. The Broad Institute’s Drug Repurposing Hub consists of in-development/approved drugs and was computationally screened to identify potential hits which could inhibit protein targets encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 genome. By virtually screening the Broad collection, using rationally designed pharmacophore features, we identified molecules which may be repurposed against viral nucleocapsid and non-structural proteins. The pharmacophore features were generated after careful visualisation of the interactions between co-crystalised ligands and the protein binding site. The ChEMBL database was used to determine the compound’s level of inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 and correlate the predicted viral protein target with whole virus in vitro data. The results from this study may help to accelerate drug development against COVID-19 and the hit compounds should be progressed through further in vitro and in vivo studies on SARS-CoV-2.

scholarly journals FDA Approved Drugs and Herbal Based Inhibitors Target SARS CoV-2 RNA Dependent RNA Polymerase

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 3811-3821
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
World Health ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Approved Drugs

The recent outburst of COVID-19 started as an epidemic in Wuhan city, China, in December 2019. It was declared a pandemic by World Health Organization on 30 January 2020. The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus leads to more deaths worldwide. Also, it has spared many lives in its second wave of disease in many countries. Although scientists had produced vaccines, it does not suit every human being, and they are getting infected again, which is due to a lack of extensive clinical trials. Also, drug repurposing is ineffective. There is a need for more research; using in silico methods may be the better option in the current situation to save the lives of virus-affected individuals. The drugs used for other diseases and herbal compounds might help target the coronavirus. In this study, a protein, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), was chosen as a target from the virus for molecular docking. It was docked against several drugs on the market and also several herbal compounds. This study will help further in vitro and in vivo studies with new lead compounds, new horizons for drugs in trials, and a new approach for Insilco analysis to treat COVID-19.

The Antiviral and Antimalarial Drug Repurposing in Quest of Chemotherapeutics to Combat COVID-19 Utilizing Structure-Based Molecular Docking

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisir Nandi ◽  
Mohit Kumar ◽  
Mridula Saxena ◽  
Anil Kumar Saxena
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Docking ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
The Novel ◽  
In Silico Docking ◽  
Biochemical Mechanisms ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
In Silico Molecular Docking

Background: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a new strain (SARS-CoV-2) erupted in 2019. Nowadays, it is a great threat that claims uncountable lives worldwide. There is no specific chemotherapeutics developed yet to combat COVID-19. Therefore, scientists have been devoted in the quest of the medicine that can cure COVID- 19. Objective: Existing antivirals such as ASC09/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir with or without umifenovir in combination with antimalarial chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine have been repurposed to fight the current coronavirus epidemic. But exact biochemical mechanisms of these drugs towards COVID-19 have not been discovered to date. Method: In-silico molecular docking can predict the mode of binding to sort out the existing chemotherapeutics having a potential affinity towards inhibition of the COVID-19 target. An attempt has been made in the present work to carry out docking analyses of 34 drugs including antivirals and antimalarials to explain explicitly the mode of interactions of these ligands towards the COVID-19protease target. Results: 13 compounds having good binding affinity have been predicted towards protease binding inhibition of COVID-19. Conclusion: Our in silico docking results have been confirmed by current reports from clinical settings through the citation of suitable experimental in vitro data available in the published literature.

scholarly journals Characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus X4-like accessory protein

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olanrewaju Ayodeji Durojaye ◽  
Nkwachukwu Oziamara Okoro ◽  
Arome Solomon Odiba
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Development ◽  
Protein A ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Quality Model ◽  
A Value ◽  
Model Protein ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Global Threat

Abstract Background The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is currently a global threat to health and economies. Therapeutics and vaccines are in rapid development; however, none of these therapeutics are considered as absolute cure, and the potential to mutate makes it necessary to find therapeutics that target a highly conserved regions of the viral structure. Results In this study, we characterized an essential but poorly understood coronavirus accessory X4 protein, a core and stable component of the SARS-CoV family. Sequence analysis shows a conserved ~ 90% identity between the SARS-CoV-2 and previously characterized X4 protein in the database. QMEAN Z score of the model protein shows a value of around 0.5, within the acceptable range 0–1. A MolProbity score of 2.96 was obtained for the model protein and indicates a good quality model. The model has Ramachandran values of φ = − 57o and ψ = − 47o for α-helices and values of φ = − 130o and ψ = + 140o for twisted sheets. Conclusions The protein data obtained from this study provides robust information for further in vitro and in vivo experiment, targeted at devising therapeutics against the virus. Phylogenetic analysis further supports previous evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 is positioned with the SL-CoVZC45, BtRs-BetaCoV/YN2018B and the RS4231 Bat SARS-like corona viruses.

scholarly journals Potential 2019-nCoV 3C-like Protease Inhibitors Designed Using Generative Deep Learning Approaches

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Zhavoronkov ◽  
Vladimir Aladinskiy ◽  
Alexander Zhebrak ◽  
Bogdan Zagribelnyy ◽  
Victor Terentiev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Homology Modelling ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Hiv Protease ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Protein Targets ◽  
Chemical Libraries ◽  
Internal Resources ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Approved Drugs ◽  
Novel Drug

<div> <div> <div> <p>The emergence of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), for which there is no vaccine or any known effective treatment created a sense of urgency for novel drug discovery approaches. One of the most important 2019-nCoV protein targets is the 3C-like protease for which the crystal structure is known. Most of the immediate efforts are focused on drug repurposing of known clinically-approved drugs and virtual screening for the molecules available from chemical libraries that may not work well. For example, the IC50 of lopinavir, an HIV protease inhibitor, against the 3C-like protease is approximately 50 micromolar. In an attempt to address this challenge, on January 28th, 2020 Insilico Medicine decided to utilize a part of its generative chemistry pipeline to design novel drug-like inhibitors of 2019-nCoV and started generation on January 30th. It utilized three of its previously validated generative chemistry approaches: crystal-derived pocked- based generator, homology modelling-based generation, and ligand-based generation. Novel druglike compounds generated using these approaches are being published at www.insilico.com/ncov-sprint/ and will be continuously updated. Several molecules will be synthesized and tested using the internal resources; however, the team is seeking collaborations to synthesize, test, and, if needed, optimize the published molecules. </p> </div> </div> </div>

scholarly journals Trypanosomatid-Caused Conditions: State of the Art of Therapeutics and Potential Applications of Lipid-Based Nanocarriers

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuliana Muraca ◽  
Ignacio Rivero Berti ◽  
María L. Sbaraglini ◽  
Wagner J. Fávaro ◽  
Nelson Durán ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chagas Disease ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Routes Of Administration ◽  
Treatment Regimens ◽  
Lipid Nanocarriers ◽  
Approved Drugs

Trypanosomatid-caused conditions (African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis) are neglected tropical infectious diseases that mainly affect socioeconomically vulnerable populations. The available therapeutics display substantial limitations, among them limited efficacy, safety issues, drug resistance, and, in some cases, inconvenient routes of administration, which made the scenarios with insufficient health infrastructure settings inconvenient. Pharmaceutical nanocarriers may provide solutions to some of these obstacles, improving the efficacy–safety balance and tolerability to therapeutic interventions. Here, we overview the state of the art of therapeutics for trypanosomatid-caused diseases (including approved drugs and drugs undergoing clinical trials) and the literature on nanolipid pharmaceutical carriers encapsulating approved and non-approved drugs for these diseases. Numerous studies have focused on the obtention and preclinical assessment of lipid nanocarriers, particularly those addressing the two currently most challenging trypanosomatid-caused diseases, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis. In general, in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that delivering the drugs using such type of nanocarriers could improve the efficacy–safety balance, diminishing cytotoxicity and organ toxicity, especially in leishmaniasis. This constitutes a very relevant outcome, as it opens the possibility to extended treatment regimens and improved compliance. Despite these advances, last-generation nanosystems, such as targeted nanocarriers and hybrid systems, have still not been extensively explored in the field of trypanosomatid-caused conditions and represent promising opportunities for future developments. The potential use of nanotechnology in extended, well-tolerated drug regimens is particularly interesting in the light of recent descriptions of quiescent/dormant stages of Leishmania and Trypanosoma cruzi, which have been linked to therapeutic failure.

scholarly journals Virtual Screening of Potential Inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Javier Alméciga-Díaz ◽  
Luisa N. Pimentel-Vera ◽  
Angela Caro ◽  
Angela Mosquera ◽  
Camilo Andrés Castellanos Moreno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Screening ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Virus Genome ◽  
Pharmacological Agents ◽  
Main Protease ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Approved Drugs ◽  
Potential Inhibitors

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) was first described in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China; and produced by a novel coronavirus designed as the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Covid-19 has become a pandemic reaching over 1.3 million confirmed cases and 73,000 deaths. Several efforts have been done to identify pharmacological agents that can be used to treat patients and protect healthcare professionals. The sequencing of the virus genome not only has offered the possibility to develop a vaccine, but also to identified and characterize the virus proteins. Among these proteins, main protease (Mpro) has been identified as a potential therapeutic target, since it is essential for the processing other viral proteins. Crystal structures of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and inhibitors has been described during the last months. To describe additional compounds that can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, in this study we performed a molecular docking-based virtual screening against a library of experimental and approved drugs. Top 10 hits included Pictilisib, Nimorazole, Ergoloid mesylates, Lumacaftor, Cefuroxime, Cepharanhine, and Nilotinib. These compounds were predicted to have higher binding affinity for SARS-CoV-2 Mpro than previously reported inhibitors for this protein, suggesting a higher potential to inhibit virus replication. Since the identified drugs have both pre-clinical and clinical information, we consider that these results may contribute to the identification of treatment alternative for Covid-19. Nevertheless, in vitro and in vivo confirmation should be performed before these compounds could be translated to the clinic.

scholarly journals Sulfisoxazole does not inhibit the secretion of small extracellular vesicles

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamali Fonseka ◽  
Sai V Chitti ◽  
Rahul Sanwlani ◽  
Suresh Mathivanan
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Tumor Burden ◽  
Immunocompetent Mouse ◽  
Approved Drugs ◽  
Fda Approved Drugs

AbstractRecently, the study by Im et al. focused on blocking the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by cancer cells, as a strategy to block metastasis, by deploying a drug repurposing screen. Upon screening the library of FDA approved drugs in breast cancer cells in vitro, the authors reported the ability of the antibiotic Sulfisoxazole (SFX) in inhibiting EV biogenesis and secretion. SFX was also effective in reducing breast primary tumor burden and blocking metastasis in immunocompromised and immunocompetent mouse models. As we seek a compound to block EV biogenesis and secretion in our current in vivo studies, we intended to use SFX and hence performed in vitro characterization as the first step. However, treatment of two cancer cells with SFX did not reduce the amount of EVs as reported by the authors.

scholarly journals Potential COVID-2019 3C-like Protease Inhibitors Designed Using Generative Deep Learning Approaches

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Zhavoronkov ◽  
Vladimir Aladinskiy ◽  
Alexander Zhebrak ◽  
Bogdan Zagribelnyy ◽  
Victor Terentiev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Homology Modelling ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Hiv Protease ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Protein Targets ◽  
Chemical Libraries ◽  
Internal Resources ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Approved Drugs ◽  
Novel Drug

<div> <div> <p>The emergence of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), for which there is no vaccine or any known effective treatment created a sense of urgency for novel drug discovery approaches. One of the most important COVID-19 protein targets is the 3C-like protease for which the crystal structure is known. Most of the immediate efforts are focused on drug repurposing of known clinically-approved drugs and virtual screening for the molecules available from chemical libraries that may not work well. For example, the IC50 of lopinavir, an HIV protease inhibitor, against the 3C-like protease is approximately 50 micromolar, which is far from ideal. In an attempt to address this challenge, on January 28th, 2020 Insilico Medicine decided to utilize a part of its generative chemistry pipeline to design novel drug-like inhibitors of COVID-19 and started generation on January 30th. It utilized three of its previously validated generative chemistry approaches: crystal-derived pocked-based generator, homology modelling-based generation, and ligand-based generation. Novel druglike compounds generated using these approaches were published at <a href="http://www.insilico.com/ncov-sprint/">www.insilico.com/ncov-sprint/</a>. Several molecules will be synthesized and tested using the internal resources; however, the team is seeking collaborations to synthesize, test, and, if needed, optimize the published molecules. <br></p> </div> </div>

scholarly journals In Silico Identification and Docking-Based Drug Repurposing Against the Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2, Causative Agent of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yogesh Kumar ◽  
Harvijay Singh
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Screening ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Docking Study ◽  
Docking Studies ◽  
Main Protease ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Approved Drugs

<div>The rapidly enlarging COVID-19 pandemic caused by novel SARS-coronavirus 2 is a global</div><div>public health emergency of unprecedented level. Therefore the need of a drug or vaccine that</div><div>counter SARS-CoV-2 is an utmost requirement at this time. Upon infection the ssRNA genome</div><div>of SARS-CoV-2 is translated into large polyprotein which further processed into different</div><div>nonstructural proteins to form viral replication complex by virtue of virus specific proteases:</div><div>main protease (3-CL protease) and papain protease. This indispensable function of main protease</div><div>in virus replication makes this enzyme a promising target for the development of inhibitors and</div><div>potential treatment therapy for novel coronavirus infection. The recently concluded α-ketoamide</div><div>ligand bound X-ray crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro (PDB ID: 6Y2F) from Zhang et al.</div><div>has revealed the potential inhibitor binding mechanism and the determinants responsible for</div><div>involved molecular interactions. Here, we have carried out a virtual screening and molecular</div><div>docking study of FDA approved drugs primarily targeted for other viral infections, to investigate</div><div>their binding affinity in Mpro active site. Virtual screening has identified a number of antiviral</div><div>drugs, top ten of which on the basis of their bending energy score are further examined through </div><div>molecular docking with Mpro. Docking studies revealed that drug Lopinavir-Ritonavir, Tipranavir</div><div>and Raltegravir among others binds in the active site of the protease with similar or higher</div><div>affinity than the crystal bound inhibitor α-ketoamide. However, the in-vitro efficacies of the drug</div><div>molecules tested in this study, further needs to be corroborated by carrying out biochemical and</div><div>structural investigation. Moreover, this study advances the potential use of existing drugs to be</div><div>investigated and used to contain the rapidly expanding SARS-CoV-2 infection.</div>

Drug Discovery by Drug Repurposing: Combating COVID-19 in the 21st Century

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitesh Sanghai ◽  
Kashfia Shafiq ◽  
Geoffrey K. Tranmer
Keyword(s):  
Drug Discovery ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Compassionate Use ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
Working Day ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Approved Drugs ◽  
Day By Day ◽  
Potential Use

: Due to the rapidly developing nature of the current COVID-19 outbreak and its almost immediate humanitarian and economic toll, coronavirus drug discovery efforts have largely focused on generating potential COVID-19 drug candidates as quickly as possible. Globally, scientists are working day and night to find the best possible solution to treat the deadly virus. During the first few months of 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak quickly developed into a pandemic, with a mortality rate that was increasing at an exponential rate day by day. As a result, scientists have turned to a drug repurposing approach, to rediscover the potential use and benefits of existing approved drugs. Currently, there is no single drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, previously known as 2019-nCoV) that causes COVID-19. Based on only in-vitro studies, several active drugs are already in the clinical pipeline, made possible by following the compassionate use of medicine protocols. This method of repurposing and the use of existing molecules like Remdesivir (GS-5734), Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, etc. has proven to be a landmark in the field of drug rediscovery. In this review article we will discuss the repurposing of medicines for treating the deadly novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

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