Treating a viral disease is no simple
feat. Drug resistance, latent reservoirs in the body, emerging novel
viruses, and a frequent lack of specific treatments all complicate
antiviral therapy. For decades, antiviral polymers have been studied
for a range of infectious diseases. The field has emerged, expanded,
and adapted over the past 70 years, producing unique classes of materials
that hold promise for overcoming these obstacles. Antiviral polymers
can directly inhibit viral replication and infection, usually by binding
to the virus and preventing it from invading a host cell. They can
also serve as microbicides or antiviral drug-delivery vehicles. This
Perspective outlines the significant advances and challenges in the
field. We discuss polymers with activity against viruses with limited
treatment options (hepatitis C), ubiquitous presence (influenza, norovirus),
or long-term complications (HIV). We also explore insights into different
mechanisms of action, and we offer ideas on how the field of antiviral
polymers might advance in the future.