The search for antivirals for covid-19

Chris Stokel-Walker
2021 The BMJ (British Medical Journal)  
Antivirals are one of the most sought after, yet missing, tools to control SARS-COV-2. Chris Stokel-Walker asks what was learnt from a similar search nearly 20 years ago Chris Stokel-Walker freelance journalist Antiviral drugs are among the most researched tools for treating covid-19. They either prevent a virus entering a host cell or prevent it from being able to replicate once it is inside. And yet, over 18 months into the pandemic, finding ones that are effective against SARS-CoV-2 has
more » ... d challenging. Remdesivir was an early frontrunner-and many governments were desperate enough to grant it emergency use approval despite limited evidence.
doi:10.1136/bmj.n2165 pmid:34544682 fatcat:m6d2virhrjd7jmmwdvzl4fw7qa