Role of GS-5734 (Remdesivir) in inhibiting SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV: The expected role of GS-5734 (remdesivir) in COVID-19 (2019-nCoV)-VYTR hypothesis

Abstract

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are enveloped RNA viruses related to the family Coro-naviridae, the order Nirdovales, and observed in humans and other mammals. In December 2019, many pneumonia cases reported by patients with unknown causes, mainly associated with seafood and wet animal market in Wuhan, China, and where clinically resembled viral pneumonia. At present, there is no existence of antiviral drugs for the treatment of CoV infections. The results of our study are GS-5734 strongly inhibits SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV in HAE cells, GS-5734 inhibits CoVs at early stages in replication by inhibiting viral RNA synthesis, the absence of ExoN-mediated proofreading in viruses sensitive to treatment with GS-5734. Protease inhibitors can show improved outcomes in some coronaviruses, but mostly 99% of protease inhibitors bind to proteins present in the human body, and only 1% attacks on existed viruses. The expected role of GS-5734 (Remdesivir) in COVID-19 (2019-nCoV)-VYTR hypothesis explained. As broad-spectrum drugs are capable of inhibiting CoV infections, GS-5734 is a broad-spectrum drug and may show inhibition on CoV infections and COVID-19. GS-5734 will show desired results regarding antiviral activity against 2019-nCoV as it showed potent antiviral activity in other CoVs. More clinical trials and experiments needed to prove that GS-5734 (Remdesivir) is a potential and effective drug to treat COVID-19.