The Company developed a library of chemical ligands that were expected to bind to the Ebola virus envelope proteins. The results reported at this meeting will help guide the synthesis of next generation anti-Ebola nanoviricides in a lead optimization synthetic program. Optimized nanoviricides will also be evaluated against other similar Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses, e.g. Marburg virus.
Based on the current results and previous success with another hemorrhagic fever virus (viz. Dengue), the Company believes that it can develop a single nanoviricide drug that is highly effective against both Ebola and Marburg filoviruses. Developing a single drug against the various Ebola and Marburg viruses has been a major challenge for researchers in the field. Currently there are no approved vaccines or therapeutics for the prevention or treatment of Ebola and Marburg viruses.
Ebola/Marburg viruses are a major concern both as potential global health threats and as potential threat agents for Biosecurity and Biodefense, and are identified as Category A agents. Ebola outbreaks have resulted in fatality rates as high as 80% in humans (who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/index.html).
SOURCE NanoViricides, Inc.