New Drug Treatments for Flavivirus Infections Such as West Nile and Dengue
Section: For Industry
Categories: "Viruses, Chronic & Infectious Diseases"
Reference #: 2008-036
OTC Contact: Blaine Hackman, Ph.D. (Directory Information | Send a Message)
Description
Georgetown University is seeking a partner interested in the development and commercialization of medications for the treatment of flavivirus infections, including dengue and West Nile. At present there are no drugs or vaccines available that are indicated for the treatment and/or prevention of these potentially fatal diseases. Researchers have identified a class of compounds that are useful for the treatment of flavivirus infections. In particular, studies have revealed that specific compounds of this invention exhibit potent inhibition of both West Nile virus protease and dengue virus type 2, and thus represent an exciting opportunity to capture growing disease areas that are in dire need of new drug therapies.
Applications
This technology encompasses small molecule therapies for the treatment and prevention of flavivirus infections in humans, in particular dengue and West Nile.Advantages
- Compounds of the invention offer new therapeutic leads in a disease area that lacks any approved therapies.
- Novel compounds are potent flavivirus serine protease inhibitors, while compounds show no inhibition of cellular serine proteases.
Stage of Development
The compounds of the invention treat patients afflicted by flavivirus infections by inhibiting flavivirus serine protease. Compounds of the 8-hydroxyquinoline family were identified as especially potent inhibitors of the West Nile virus protease and dengue virus type 2, with K¬i ¬¬ values in the low micromolar range. Compounds of this invention have also successfully inhibited West Nile virus RNA replication in cultured Vero cells. The compounds assayed did not inhibit cellular serine proteases, trypsin or factor Xa adding to the promise of treating dengue and West Nile via this class of small-molecule inhibitors.Relevant Publications
Mueller, N.H; Pattabiraman, N.; Ansarah-Sobrino, C.; Viswanathan, P.; Pierson, T.C.; Padmanabhan, R. “Identification and Biochemical Characterization of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of West Nile Virus Serine Protease by a High Throughput Screen.” Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Sept. 2008, p. 3385-3393.
Patent Status
Patents are currently pending
