Are Host Defense Peptides and Their Derivatives Ready to be Part of the Treatment of the Next Coronavirus Pandemic?

The term host defense peptides arose at the beginning to refer to those peptides that are part of the host's immunity. Because of their broad antimicrobial capacity and immunomodulatory activity, nowadays, they emerge as a hope to combat resistant multi-drug microorganisms and emerging viruses, such as the case of coronaviruses. Since the beginning of this century, coronaviruses have been part of different outbreaks and a pandemic, and they will be surely part of the next pandemics, this review analyses whether these peptides and their derivatives are ready to be part of the treatment of the next coronavirus pandemic.

Automated summary

Host defense peptides, initially named to refer to host immunity peptides, are now seen as a potential solution to combat drug-resistant microorganisms and emerging viruses like coronaviruses, due to their broad antimicrobial capacity and immunomodulatory activity. This review assesses whether these peptides and their derivatives are prepared to be part of the treatment for the next coronavirus pandemic, given the history of coronavirus outbreaks and pandemics in the 21st century.