COVID-19 FAQ: Can we design drugs that slow down viral replication in our own cells?

The coil –the genetic blueprint for replication – can misfold into unusual shapes. Since the world is still waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine, any treatment that can slow down the spread of infection would be welcome. However, our group’s investigation into these “faulty” structures suggests that these naturally occurring errors don’t exist long enough to cause a problem in viral replication on their own.