Small Molecule Therapeutics Targeting Members of the Bunyavirales Order

Bunyaviruses are the largest family of viruses, which composed of more than 300 of members, several family members including Hantaan virus, Sin Nombre virus Rift Valley Fever virus, Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome virus, and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus are posing significant threats to the warfighters (and civilians as well). Unfortunately, there are no vaccines for human use or antiviral drugs available to prevent or treat infections with any of these viruses. Meanwhile, the great diversity and continuous emergence of new bunyaviral species that cause severe disease make it unfeasible to develop drugs or vaccines for every single virus. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop medical countermeasure such as small molecule therapeutics which exhibits broad activity across the bunyavirus families. Zymeron is developing small molecule inhibitors of the highly conserved Bunyavirus protein that is essential for the viral replication as broad-spectrum therapeutics targeting the Bunyavirales order. In addition, the small molecule inhibitors comply with the Lipinski’s Rule of Five, indicating strong potential as systemic antiviral candidates for oral administration.