DrugVirus.info 2.0: an integrative data portal for broad-spectrum antivirals (BSA) and BSA-containing drug combinations (BCCs).

Viruses can cross species barriers and cause unpredictable outbreaks in man with substantial economic and public health burdens. Broad-spectrum antivirals, (BSAs, compounds inhibiting several human viruses), and BSA-containing drug combinations (BCCs) are deemed as immediate therapeutic options that fill the void between virus identification and vaccine development. Here, we present DrugVirus.info 2.0 (https://drugvirus.info), an integrative interactive portal for exploration and analysis of BSAs and BCCs, that greatly expands the database and functionality of DrugVirus.info 1.0 webserver. Through the data portal that now expands the spectrum of BSAs and provides information on BCCs, we developed two modules for (i) interactive analysis of users' own antiviral drug and combination screening data and their comparison with published datasets, and (ii) exploration of the structure-activity relationship between various BSAs. The updated portal provides an essential toolbox for antiviral drug development and repurposing applications aiming to identify existing and novel treatments of emerging and re-emerging viral threats.

Mono- and combinational drug therapies for global viral pandemic preparedness.

Broadly effective antiviral therapies must be developed to be ready for clinical trials, which should begin soon after the emergence of new life-threatening viruses. Here, we pave the way towards this goal by reviewing conserved druggable virus-host interactions, mechanisms of action, immunomodulatory properties of available broad-spectrum antivirals (BSAs), routes of BSA delivery, and interactions of BSAs with other antivirals. Based on the review, we concluded that the range of indications of BSAs can be expanded, and new pan- and cross-viral mono- and combinational therapies can be developed. We have also developed a new scoring algorithm that can help identify the most promising few of the thousands of potential BSAs and BSA-containing drug cocktails (BCCs) to prioritize their development during the critical period between the identification of a new virus and the development of virus-specific vaccines, drugs, and therapeutic antibodies.