# Development of an Oral Pan-Coronavirus Drug Cocktail

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2024 · $674,611

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
This R01 comprises a collaboration between scientists in the US and Belgium that seeks to develop synergistic
antiviral drug combinations that keep pace with the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic and
future outbreaks of related coronaviruses. We will exploit i) the principles of synergistic activity that arise with
drug combinations and ii) novel mathematical approaches to optimize human dosing for treating emerging and
re-emerging coronaviruses with pandemic potential. We will identify combinations of drugs that i) target
conserved cellular factors that support virus infection, and/or ii) target viral enzymes that are essential for viral
replication, to develop novel antiviral drug combinations against multiple coronaviruses (i.e., a pan-family drug
cocktail). Based on our previous work, mathematical modeling approaches will be used to i) identify drug
combinations with synergistic antiviral action, ii) prioritize drug combinations and dosing strategies for testing in
rodent models of virus infection and disease, and iii) predict in vivo efficacy in humans with various dosing
strategies. Our research plan provides a proactive approach for global pandemic response and preparedness,
with deliverables consisting of i) combinations of compounds that confer potent, synergistic suppression of
multiple coronaviruses and have sufficiently high and durable plasma and tissue concentrations and ii) publicly
available harmonized clinical trial designs that will allow for efficient testing of multiple agents in parallel at the
inception of new epidemics. As the approach is applicable to any virus family, the project portends global
impact by improving protection of the general population against existing viral threats, enhancing preparedness
and response for future viral outbreaks, and offering immediately testable and deployable oral drug
combinations that fill the time void between virus identification and development and deployment of viral
sequence-specific vaccines, antibodies, and drugs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10884228
- **Project number:** 5R01AI177512-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** STEPHEN J. POLYAK
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $674,611
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-07 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10884228

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10884228, Development of an Oral Pan-Coronavirus Drug Cocktail (5R01AI177512-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10884228. Licensed CC0.

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