A network-driven antiviral discovery pipeline for emerging RNA viruses: a critical perspective from the Red Mexicana de Desarrollo de Antivirales (RMDA)

INTRODUCTION: RNA viruses impose a disproportionate burden of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases in Latin America, yet antiviral discovery in the region remains fragmented, target-limited, and frequently disconnected from translational pathways. This perspective discusses the Red Mexicana de Desarrollo de Antivirales (RMDA) as a network-driven model to organize antiviral discovery against clinically relevant RNA viruses. AREAS COVERED: The authors describe the conceptual architecture of RMDA, a multi-institutional Mexican initiative that integrates computational prioritization, cell-based antiviral evaluation under BSL-2/BSL-3 conditions, mechanistic virology, assessment of pharmacological synergy, in vivo validation, and clinical linkage through healthcare systems such as the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. The framework is supported by prior work from participating groups on host-directed and virus-directed candidates, including metabolic modulators, lipid-lowering agents, nuclear transport inhibitors, natural products, polyphenols, melatonin, and rational drug combinations evaluated against dengue virus, Zika virus, SARS-CoV-2, respiratory syncytial virus, and related RNA viruses. EXPERT OPINION: RMDA provides a scalable and regionally adaptable model for antiviral drug discovery in low- and middle-income settings. By aligning distributed expertise, standardized workflows, and translational decision points, this framework may accelerate candidate prioritization, reduce duplication, and strengthen preparedness against RNA virus threats in Mexico and Latin America.