EDP-938, a new antiviral with inhibitory activity against the nucleoprotein of the respiratory syncytial virus

Abstract

The absence of an effective vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has led to the development of various drugs with the ability to inhibit or block its replicative activity. The first generation, called fusion inhibitors, bind to the protein on the viral surface and prevent the virus from binding and entering the cell. However, its low efficacy has determined the start of studies with second-generation compounds capable of binding or blocking the nucleoprotein (N); most of these compounds are analogs of 1,4-benzodiazepines. EDP-938 has shown high efficacy against RSV. The first trials in humans have shown that this antiviral is rapidly absorbed after oral administration and has a half-life of between 11-18 hours Administration for seven days of multiple oral doses of up to 600 mg/day or 300 mg/day/twice a day, there were hardly any significant adverse effects and the viral load in the lower respiratory tract decreased significantly.