Current status of small molecule drug development for Ebola virus and other filoviruses

Publication date: April 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 35Author(s): Megan R Edwards, Christopher F BaslerThe filovirus family includes some of the deadliest viruses known, including Ebola virus and Marburg virus. These viruses cause periodic outbreaks of severe disease that can be spread from person to person, making the filoviruses important public health threats. There remains a need for approved drugs that target all or most members of this virus family. Small molecule inhibitors that target conserved functions hold promise as pan-filovirus therapeutics. To date, compounds that effectively target virus entry, genome replication, gene expression, and virus egress have been described. The most advanced inhibitors are nucleoside analogs that target viral RNA synthesis reactions.
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - Category: Virology Source Type: research