Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir): A new approach to Covid-19 therapy?
Despite the need for novel, effective therapeutics for the COVID-19 pandemic, no curative regimen is yet available, therefore patients are forced to rely on supportive and nonspecific therapies. Some SARS-CoV-2 proteins, like the 3 C-like protease (3CLpro) or the major protease (Mpro), have been ide...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332223001555 |
| _version_ | 1797837195733630976 |
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| author | Seyed Mohammad Reza Hashemian Amirhossein Sheida Mohammad Taghizadieh Mohammad Yousef Memar Michael R. Hamblin Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi Javid Sadri Nahand Zatollah Asemi Hamed Mirzaei |
| author_facet | Seyed Mohammad Reza Hashemian Amirhossein Sheida Mohammad Taghizadieh Mohammad Yousef Memar Michael R. Hamblin Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi Javid Sadri Nahand Zatollah Asemi Hamed Mirzaei |
| author_sort | Seyed Mohammad Reza Hashemian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the need for novel, effective therapeutics for the COVID-19 pandemic, no curative regimen is yet available, therefore patients are forced to rely on supportive and nonspecific therapies. Some SARS-CoV-2 proteins, like the 3 C-like protease (3CLpro) or the major protease (Mpro), have been identified as promising targets for antiviral drugs. The Mpro has major a role in protein processing as well as pathogenesis of the virus, and could be a useful therapeutic target. The antiviral drug nirmatrelvir can keep SARS-CoV-2 from replicating through inhibiting Mpro. Nirmatrelvir was combined with another HIV protease inhibitor, ritonavir, to create Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir). The metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 3 A is inhibited by ritonavir to lengthen the half-life of nirmatrelvir, so rintonavir acts as a pharmacological enhancer. Nirmatrelvir exhibits potent antiviral activity against current coronavirus variants, despite significant alterations in the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome. Nevertheless, there are still several unanswered questions. This review summarizes the current literature on nirmatrelvir and ritonavir efficacy in treating SARS-CoV-2 infection, and also their safety and possible side effects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T15:21:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d525817feafc4373b43dd758aee4cce5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0753-3322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T15:21:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy |
| spelling | doaj.art-d525817feafc4373b43dd758aee4cce52023-04-29T14:45:48ZengElsevierBiomedicine & Pharmacotherapy0753-33222023-06-01162114367Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir): A new approach to Covid-19 therapy?Seyed Mohammad Reza Hashemian0Amirhossein Sheida1Mohammad Taghizadieh2Mohammad Yousef Memar3Michael R. Hamblin4Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi5Javid Sadri Nahand6Zatollah Asemi7Hamed Mirzaei8Critical Care Department, National Research Institute ofTuberculosis and Lung Disease, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science,Tehran, Iran; Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center, National ResearchInstitute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Shahid Beheshti University ofMedical Science, Tehran, IranSchool of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran; Student Research Committee, Kashan Universityof Medical Sciences, Kashan, IranDepartment of Pathology, School of Medicine, Center for Women'sHealth Research Zahra, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IranInfectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz Universityof Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IranLaser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South AfricaInfectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz Universityof Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IranInfectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz Universityof Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Corresponding author.Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, IranResearch Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran; Correspondence to: Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, I.R., Kashan, Iran.Despite the need for novel, effective therapeutics for the COVID-19 pandemic, no curative regimen is yet available, therefore patients are forced to rely on supportive and nonspecific therapies. Some SARS-CoV-2 proteins, like the 3 C-like protease (3CLpro) or the major protease (Mpro), have been identified as promising targets for antiviral drugs. The Mpro has major a role in protein processing as well as pathogenesis of the virus, and could be a useful therapeutic target. The antiviral drug nirmatrelvir can keep SARS-CoV-2 from replicating through inhibiting Mpro. Nirmatrelvir was combined with another HIV protease inhibitor, ritonavir, to create Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir). The metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 3 A is inhibited by ritonavir to lengthen the half-life of nirmatrelvir, so rintonavir acts as a pharmacological enhancer. Nirmatrelvir exhibits potent antiviral activity against current coronavirus variants, despite significant alterations in the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome. Nevertheless, there are still several unanswered questions. This review summarizes the current literature on nirmatrelvir and ritonavir efficacy in treating SARS-CoV-2 infection, and also their safety and possible side effects.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332223001555PaxlovidCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2NirmatrelvirRitonavir3 C-like protease |
| spellingShingle | Seyed Mohammad Reza Hashemian Amirhossein Sheida Mohammad Taghizadieh Mohammad Yousef Memar Michael R. Hamblin Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi Javid Sadri Nahand Zatollah Asemi Hamed Mirzaei Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir): A new approach to Covid-19 therapy? Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy Paxlovid COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Nirmatrelvir Ritonavir 3 C-like protease |
| title | Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir): A new approach to Covid-19 therapy? |
| title_full | Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir): A new approach to Covid-19 therapy? |
| title_fullStr | Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir): A new approach to Covid-19 therapy? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir): A new approach to Covid-19 therapy? |
| title_short | Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir): A new approach to Covid-19 therapy? |
| title_sort | paxlovid nirmatrelvir ritonavir a new approach to covid 19 therapy |
| topic | Paxlovid COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Nirmatrelvir Ritonavir 3 C-like protease |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332223001555 |
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