Predicted antiviral drugs Darunavir, Amprenavir, Rimantadine and Saquinavir can potentially bind to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 conserved proteins

Background: Novel Coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 has become a threat to human society due to fast spreading and increasing mortality. It uses vertebrate hosts and presently deploys humans. Life cycle and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 have already been deciphered and possible drug target trials are on the way. Results: The present study was aimed to analyze Non-Structural Proteins that include conserved enzymes of SARS-CoV-2 like papain-like protease, main protease, Replicase, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, methyltransferase, helicase, exoribonuclease and endoribonucleaseas targets to all known drugs. A bioinformatic based web server Drug ReposeER predicted several drug binding motifs in these analyzed proteins. Results revealed that anti-viral drugs Darunavir,Amprenavir, Rimantadine and Saquinavir were the most potent to have 3D-drug binding motifs that were closely associated with the active sites of the SARS-CoV-2 enzymes. Conclusions: Repurposing of the antiviral drugs Darunavir, Amprenavir, Rimantadine and Saquinavir to treat COVID-19 patients could be useful that can potentially prevent human mortality.

Automated summary

The study analyzed Non-Structural Proteins of SARS-CoV-2 as drug targets and found that antiviral drugs Darunavir, Amprenavir, Rimantadine, and Saquinavir could potentially be effective in treating COVID-19 patients, potentially preventing human mortality.