A study demonstrated the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of ribonucleoside analog β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC; EIDD-1931) against SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and related zoonotic group 2b or 2c bat-CoVs. Further, it also described its increased potency against CoV carrying resistance mutations to the nucleoside analog inhibitor remdesivir. 

SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV infected mice showed improved pulmonary function and reduced virus titer and body weight loss after prophylactic as well as a therapeutic administration of EIDD-2801. in vitro and in vivo decrease in MERS-CoV products were related with an enhanced transition mutation frequency in viral, sparing host cell RNA, sponsoring a mechanism of deadly mutagenesis in CoV. The potency as well as oral bioavailability of NHC/EIDD-2801 against multiple CoVs, makes it a potential and effective antiviral against SARS-CoV-2 and other future zoonotic CoVs.

Source- Science Translational Medicine, 2020;541(12):eabb5883. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.abb5883