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Infectious disease

Small molecule combats measles virus

Nature Reviews Drug Discovery volume 13, pages 416–417 (2014)Cite this article

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A study in Science Translational Medicine now describes a complementary approach to vaccination — an orally available small molecule that targets morbillivirus RNA polymerase and provides immunity against morbillivirus infection in an animal model.

The authors had previously identified a series of compounds that inhibited measles virus replication, and so began this study by improving the oral absorption of the compounds. The resulting lead compound (termed ERDRP-0519) had favourable pharmacokinetic properties, low cytotoxicity and nanomolar antiviral potency against seven endemic genotypes of measles virus. The compound inhibited the RNA polymerase complex of the measles virus and the related canine distemper virus but not a distant member of the paramyxovirus family — respiratory syncytial virus.

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References

  1. Krumm, S. A. et al. An orally available, small-molecule polymerase inhibitor shows efficacy against a lethal morbillivirus infection in a large animal model. Sci. Transl. Med. 6, 232ra52 (2014)

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  1. Charlotte Harrison
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Harrison, C. Small molecule combats measles virus. Nat Rev Drug Discov 13, 416–417 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd4343

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