Development and patent synthesis of nirmatrelvir – the main component of the first oral drug against SARS-CoV-2 Paxlovid

Nirmatrelvir is the main component of the first oral drug against SARS-CoV-2 called Paxlovid®. Its development from an orally unavailable predecessor through hydrogen bond donors (HBD) replacement is highlighted, followed by an examination of the synthetic routes described in the original PCT application WO2021/250648. Based on its attributes, nirmatrelvir shows the potential to be a game changer in SARS-CoV-2 treatment.