Recent Advances of Non‐Nucleoside Polymerase Inhibitors With Broad‐Spectrum Antiviral Activities

ABSTRACT A tremendous and painful price has been paid in the fight against pandemic viruses in the global health field. Emerging and re‐emerging viruses serve as primary drivers of severe pandemics, such as influenza virus (IV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Viral polymerases are highly conserved among viruses of the same genus. Inhibitors targeting polymerases often exhibit broad‐spectrum antiviral activity against these same genus viruses, playing a crucial role in antiviral therapies. Non‐nucleoside polymerase inhibitors demonstrate their superiority in terms of safety and anti‐mutation ability out of nucleoside/nucleotide polymerase inhibitors. This review presents an overview of non‐nucleoside polymerase inhibitors along with their relative antiviral activities and mechanisms of action, providing a reference for the development of novel antiviral drugs with broad‐spectrum activities.