Authors: Ilham M. Alshiraihi, PhD; Gerald L. Klein, MD; Mark A. Brown
Abstract
With the approval and distribution of demonstrably safe COVID-19 vaccines bearing exceptionally high efficacy profiles, it may be tempting to envision a return to “normal” in the coming months. However, if there is one lesson to be learned from the ongoing pandemic, it is that, in a world of evolving zoonotic viruses, we must be better prepared for the next deadly outbreak. While the acute nature of the COVID-19 pandemic demanded a highly specific approach, it is advisable to consider the breadth of seemingly endless possibilities in our approach to managing the next inevitable occurrence of an outbreak. Though there is little chance of discovering a “magic pill” to combat all future pathogens, the highly conserved nature of non-surface viral proteins exposes an “Achilles’ heel” in the structural genome of viral pathogens. Herein, we consider the potential of targeting such proteins to develop broad-spectrum therapeutics for the future. To illustrate this point, we outline the therapeutic potential of targeting the nonstructural protein 16 methyltransferase, which is conserved across most coronaviruses.