Oral Paramyxovirus Therapeutic with Low Toxicity and Reduced Viral Resistance

Description

This technology is an RNA polymerase inhibitor therapeutic for use in paramyxoviruses, including parainfluenza, Nipah virus and measles. This allosteric, non-nucleoside inhibitor acts by binding to the polymerase complex to inhibit viral RNA replication and may have lower toxicity than nucleoside polymerase inhibitors. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for parainfluenza or Nipah virus. Suboptimal measles vaccine use is allowing measles outbreaks to occur, leaving an unmet need for a therapeutic. In vivo efficacy has been confirmed against parainfluenza, and initial clinical trials are planned in hematopoietic stem-cell transplant patients with parainfluenza, a highly monitored population that faces steep mortality rates with HPIV-3 infection. Efficacy has been confirmed for follow-on indications in a morbillivirus ferret model and in a Nipah virus cell culture assay.

Benefits

Unmet need: Applicable in indications that currently have no therapeutic options, such as parainfluenza, Nipah virus and measles
Oral bioavailability: In vivo studies confirm oral availability and efficacy
Lower toxicity: Compared to nucleoside inhibitors, this therapeutic could have reduced toxicity and be more appropriate for pediatric patients
Low resistance: In vivo studies demonstrate that resistant viruses are attenuate