Discovery of COVID-19 Inhibitors Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp13 Helicase

In this study, researchers focused on the SARS-CoV2 helicase (Nsp13), a critical and conserved protein for viral replication, to identify potential COVID-19 inhibitors. They used homology modeling and molecular dynamics to create structural models of the helicase and conducted virtual screening of approximately 970,000 chemical compounds targeting the ATP binding site. The study identified approved human drugs that showed significant activity in inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 helicase, suggesting these drugs could potentially be repurposed for COVID-19 treatment.