BACKGROUND
Influenza virus infection results in 200,000 hospitalizations, 36,000 deaths, and $87 billion in healthcare costs per year in the U.S. The current treatments, which consist of antiviral drugs that target viral proteins, only work if new strains of influenza virus do not emerge. However, influenza viral proteins readily mutate to create new, drug resistant viruses--rendering antiviral drugs useless. Thus, there is a critical need to develop improved anti-influenza medicines that are effective regardless of virus changes and mutations.
SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY
OSU researchers discovered a way to enhance the immune response of a host's defense system against the influenza virus through the oral administration of a small molecule known to target host defense proteins. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that this therapeutic has 99% anti-viral activity in cell culture and 88% anti-viral activity in mice. Furthermore, when this therapeutic was administered orally to mice challenged with a lethal dose of the H1N1 influenza virus, their survival rate was 60% in contrast to a 100% mortality rate for the control mice.
POTENTIAL AREAS OF APPLICATION
Oral drug for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of influenza virus infection
MAIN ADVANTAGES
- Controls influenza virus infection
- Remains effective against mutated variants of the virus
- Maintains high bioavailability
STATE OF DEVELOPMENT
Proof of concept stage.