Antiviral drugs targeting the coronavirus 3CL enzyme
Broad-spectrum therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease
This project is creating small antiviral medicines that block a key coronavirus enzyme to help prevent or treat COVID-19 in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184461 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient’s point of view, researchers are designing small-molecule drugs that stick to and block the virus’s 3CL protease, an enzyme the coronavirus needs to replicate. They will use detailed 3D structural information to guide drug design, test candidate compounds in lab enzyme and cell culture experiments, and then study promising compounds in animal models for safety and effectiveness. The work aims to find potent, broad-acting inhibitors that could work against SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses. If candidates look good in preclinical testing, the team would prepare them for clinical trials in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal future trial participants would be people with early or mild COVID-19, or those at high risk of severe disease such as older adults or people with chronic health conditions.
Not a fit: People with very late-stage disease or established organ failure from ARDS may not benefit because antivirals work best earlier in infection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these drugs could stop the virus from multiplying and become new treatments to reduce viral illness and prevent progression to severe COVID-19 or ARDS.
How similar studies have performed: Antiviral drugs targeting viral enzymes have worked for other viruses and remdesivir shows that SARS-CoV-2 can be targeted with small molecules, but specific 3CL protease inhibitors are still largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schinazi, Raymond Felix — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Schinazi, Raymond Felix
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.