Learning from history: do not flatten the curve of antiviral research!

Learning from history: do not flatten the curve of antiviral research! Drug Discov Today. 2020 Jul 15;: Authors: Bobrowski T, Melo-Filho CC, Korn D, Alves VM, Popov KI, Auerbach S, Schmitt C, Moorman NJ, Muratov EN, Tropsha A Abstract Here, we explore the dynamics of the response of the scientific community to several epidemics, including Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), as assessed by the numbers of clinical trials, publications, and level of research funding over time. All six prior epidemics studied [bird flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), swine flu, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Ebola, and Zika] were characterized by an initial spike of research response that flattened shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, no antiviral medications have been discovered to date as treatments for any of these diseases. By contrast, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has garnered consistent research investment since it began and resulted in drugs being developed within 7 years of its start date, with many more to follow. We argue that, to develop effective treatments for COVID-19 and be prepared for future epidemics, long-term, consistent investment in antiviral research is needed. PMID: 32679173 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Drug Discovery Today - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: Drug Discov Today Source Type: research