15.4 Challenges and future directions in antiviral therapy
4 min read•august 1, 2024
Antiviral therapy faces major hurdles like , , and high costs. Viruses mutate quickly, making treatments less effective over time. Developing safe, is crucial but challenging due to complex and host interactions.
New tech offers hope. and AI speed up . Gene editing and nanotech improve targeting. But social factors like healthcare access and cultural beliefs affect outcomes. based on genetics could revolutionize treatment, though ethical concerns remain.
Challenges in Antiviral Therapy Development
Viral Resistance and Drug Specificity
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Top images from around the web for Viral Resistance and Drug Specificity
Frontiers | The Current and Future State of Vaccines, Antivirals and Gene Therapies Against ... View original
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Frontiers | The Signaling Pathways, and Therapeutic Targets of Antiviral Agents: Focusing on the ... View original
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Frontiers | Strategies to overcome HIV drug resistance-current and future perspectives View original
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Frontiers | The Current and Future State of Vaccines, Antivirals and Gene Therapies Against ... View original
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Frontiers | The Signaling Pathways, and Therapeutic Targets of Antiviral Agents: Focusing on the ... View original
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Viral mutation leads to drug resistance
Viruses rapidly evolve to evade treatment
Limits long-term effectiveness of antivirals
High specificity of antiviral drugs restricts broad application
Often effective against limited viral strains or families
Creates need for broad-spectrum antivirals
Combination therapies address resistance but complicate treatment
Multiple drugs used simultaneously to prevent viral escape
Increases potential for drug interactions
Complicates patient adherence to treatment regimens
Safety and Efficacy Concerns
Toxicity and side effects limit clinical use of antivirals
Requires balancing efficacy with patient safety
May lead to treatment discontinuation or reduced dosing
Targeting latent proves challenging
Affects complete eradication of viruses like and
Reservoirs allow virus to persist despite treatment (lymph nodes, central nervous system)
Limited understanding of host-virus interactions impedes drug development
Gaps in knowledge of viral life cycles for some pathogens
Hinders identification of novel drug targets (, )
Drug Development Hurdles
Lengthy and costly drug development process hinders rapid response
Average time from discovery to market: 10-15 years
Estimated cost per new drug: $1-2 billion
present significant challenges
Recruitment of appropriate patient populations
Ethical considerations in testing antivirals (placebo use)
Long-term follow-up required to assess efficacy and safety
Emerging Technologies for Antiviral Drug Discovery