GS-5734: a potentially approved drug by FDA against SARS-Cov-2

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. COVID-19 is an ongoing global health crisis. Efficacious drugs against COVID-19 are not yet available. Therefore, rapid discovery of safe and efficacious agents against SARS-CoV-2 are needed urgently. Nucleoside analogs have an integral role in the treatment of viral infections. Owing to their broad-spectrum antiviral activities, C-nucleoside analogs have become key components of COVID-19 treatment regimens. Here, we review the state-of-the-art C-nucleoside GS-5734 (remdesivir) that is in preclinical research for COVID-19 treatment. As a potentially approved drug by the FDA against SARS-Cov-2 infection, the efficacy and safety of GS-5734 have been documented repeatedlyin vitro, in animal models, and in humans. To better understand the drug-development process, this review focused on the discovery process, preparation methods, broad-spectrum activities, and antiviral mechanism of GS-5734.