What are the Challenges in Developing Antiviral Drugs?
Developing effective antiviral drugs presents several challenges:
Viral mutation: Viruses, especially RNA viruses, mutate rapidly, leading to drug resistance. Toxicity: Finding compounds that are effective against viruses but non-toxic to human cells. Specificity: Targeting viral components without affecting host cellular machinery. Emerging viruses: Newly emerging viruses require rapid development of new antivirals.