Cardiovascular pathology : the official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology
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Cardiovasc. Pathol. · Jan 2021
ReviewCurrent state of vaccine development and targeted therapies for COVID-19: impact of basic science discoveries.
Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is closely related to two other coronaviruses that caused disease epidemic breakouts in humans in the last 2 decades, namely, severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The similarities have enabled the scientists to apply the basic scientific discoveries garnered from studying the structure and modus operandi of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV to develop therapies that specifically target SARS-CoV-2 and to develop vaccines to prevent COVID-19. ⋯ Likewise, complete sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 and identification of its structural and nonstructural proteins have enabled development of RNA-, DNA-, and peptide-based vaccines as well attenuated viral vaccines to instigate the host-immune responses. The clinical impacts of the basic science discoveries are amply evident on the rapid pace of progress in developing specific antiviral therapies and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. The progress emphasizes the merit of discovering the fundamental scientific elements, regardless of whether or not they have apparent or immediate clinical applications.