K22

K22 is a broad-spectrum small molecule antiviral compound developed through a collaborative research effort led by the University of Gothenburg and the University of Bern. Identified via high-throughput screening, K22 exhibits potent antiviral activity against a wide range of positive-strand RNA viruses, including diverse coronaviruses (such as SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and HCoV-229E) and multiple flaviviruses (including Zika virus, dengue virus, West Nile virus, and yellow fever virus). The compound targets the viral RNA replication complex by specifically interfering with the formation of host-cell-derived double-membrane vesicles (DMVs), which serve as the essential structural scaffold for viral RNA synthesis. Evidence suggests that K22 may exert its inhibitory effect by binding to the viral non-structural protein 6 (nsp6). Currently, K22 is utilized as a preclinical research tool to study the replication mechanisms of positive-strand RNA viruses and represents a potential lead for the development of pan-viral inhibitors.