{"title":"SiRNAs as antiviral drugs – Current status, therapeutic potential and challenges","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.106024","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traditionally, antiviral drugs target viral enzymes and or structural proteins, identified through large drug screens or rational drug design. The screening, chemical optimisation, small animal toxicity studies and clinical trials mean time to market is long for a new compound, and in the event of a novel virus or pandemic, weeks, and months matter. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as a gene silencing platform is an alluring alternative. SiRNAs are now approved for use in the clinic to treat a range of diseases, are cost effective, scalable, and can be easily programmed to target any viral target in a matter of days. Despite the large number of preclinical studies that clearly show siRNAs are highly effective antivirals this has not translated into clinical success with no products on the market. This review provides a comprehensive overview of both the clinical and preclinical work in this area and outlines the challenges the field faces going forward that need to be addressed in order to see siRNA antivirals become a clinical reality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8259,"journal":{"name":"Antiviral research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Antiviral research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016635422400233X","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Traditionally, antiviral drugs target viral enzymes and or structural proteins, identified through large drug screens or rational drug design. The screening, chemical optimisation, small animal toxicity studies and clinical trials mean time to market is long for a new compound, and in the event of a novel virus or pandemic, weeks, and months matter. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as a gene silencing platform is an alluring alternative. SiRNAs are now approved for use in the clinic to treat a range of diseases, are cost effective, scalable, and can be easily programmed to target any viral target in a matter of days. Despite the large number of preclinical studies that clearly show siRNAs are highly effective antivirals this has not translated into clinical success with no products on the market. This review provides a comprehensive overview of both the clinical and preclinical work in this area and outlines the challenges the field faces going forward that need to be addressed in order to see siRNA antivirals become a clinical reality.
期刊介绍:
Antiviral Research is a journal that focuses on various aspects of controlling viral infections in both humans and animals. It is a platform for publishing research reports, short communications, review articles, and commentaries. The journal covers a wide range of topics including antiviral drugs, antibodies, and host-response modifiers. These topics encompass their synthesis, in vitro and in vivo testing, as well as mechanisms of action. Additionally, the journal also publishes studies on the development of new or improved vaccines against viral infections in humans. It delves into assessing the safety of drugs and vaccines, tracking the evolution of drug or vaccine-resistant viruses, and developing effective countermeasures. Another area of interest includes the identification and validation of new drug targets. The journal further explores laboratory animal models of viral diseases, investigates the pathogenesis of viral diseases, and examines the mechanisms by which viruses avoid host immune responses.