Antiviral Agents and Peptides: Discovery, Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Applications
A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Immunology, Vaccines, and Antivirals".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2027 | Viewed by 39
Special Issue Editor
Interests: medicinal chemistry; peptide chemistry; chemical biology; drug discovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue will focus on recent advances in the discovery, design, and application of antiviral agents, including antiviral peptides (AVPs). It will provide a comprehensive platform for research on both traditional and emerging antiviral strategies targeting a wide range of viral pathogens. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the identification and development of novel antiviral compounds; structure–activity relationships; mechanisms of antiviral action; drug optimization and delivery; host–virus interactions; antiviral immunity; resistance mechanisms; and preclinical and clinical evaluation of antiviral therapies.
Antiviral agents play a critical role in controlling viral infections that continue to pose significant global health challenges. While traditional small-molecule drugs have achieved considerable success, the rapid emergence of drug-resistant viral strains highlights the need for innovative approaches. In this context, AVPs have gained increasing attention as a promising class of therapeutics. Derived from natural sources or designed synthetically, AVPs can target multiple stages of the viral life cycle, including viral entry, replication, assembly, and release, and may also modulate host immune responses.
Advances in peptide engineering, high-throughput screening, and computational and AI-assisted design have accelerated the identification and optimization of antiviral agents with improved potency, selectivity, and stability. Additionally, novel delivery systems and host-directed therapeutic strategies are expanding the scope of antiviral research. Despite these advances, challenges such as limited bioavailability, potential toxicity, and barriers to clinical translation remain and require continued investigation.
This Special Issue will bring together original research articles and comprehensive reviews that address the fundamental biology, mechanisms, and therapeutic potential of antiviral agents and peptides. Contributions that explore innovative design strategies, emerging viral threats, and translational or clinical perspectives are particularly encouraged.
Dr. Xue Zhi Zhao
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- antiviral agents
- antiviral peptides (AVPs)
- drug discovery
- drug resistance
- peptide engineering
- mechanisms of antiviral action
- structure–activity relationship (SAR)
- high-throughput screening
- AI-assisted design
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