The actions of a drug or a molecular target in vitro often do not translated in a cellular or in vivo context. Membrane permeability, off-target effects, and cytotoxicity are some of the factors that may contribute to this difference. This is a huge bottleneck in the effort to urgently identify novel antiviral therapies, especially in the wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
The etiological agent of COVID-19 is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has infected over 123.5 million lives, and caused over 2.7 million deaths. The only most promising antiviral agent against SARS-CoV-2 currently used in the clinic is the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor remdesivir. However, it has presented mixed results and side-effects.
