The current severe influenza wave underscores the urgent need for broad-spectrum antiviral therapies capable of addressing influenza, RSV, coronaviruses and other respiratory viruses, according to NanoViricides, Inc. The company cited limitations of seasonal vaccines and existing antivirals that face timing constraints and resistance risks as key factors driving this need.
NanoViricides highlighted its Phase II-stage drug candidate NV-387, a broad-spectrum nanoviricide designed to mimic host-cell features viruses rely on to infect cells. Company management believes this positions NV-387 as a potential first-line, empirical therapy for viral acute and severe acute respiratory infections. The drug candidate has demonstrated preclinical activity against influenza, RSV and coronaviruses and has potential applicability across a multibillion-dollar global antiviral market if approved.
The company's business model is based on licensing technology from TheraCour Pharma Inc. for specific application verticals of specific viruses, as established at its foundation in 2005. NanoViricides holds a worldwide exclusive perpetual license to this technology for several drugs with specific targeting mechanisms for the treatment of numerous human viral diseases, including Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Rabies, Herpes Simplex Virus, Varicella-Zoster Virus, Influenza and Asian Bird Flu Virus, Dengue viruses, Japanese Encephalitis virus, West Nile Virus, Ebola/Marburg viruses, and certain Coronaviruses.
NanoViricides is currently focused on advancing NV-387 into Phase II human clinical trials. The company plans to develop NV-387 as a treatment for RSV, COVID, Long COVID, Influenza, and other respiratory viral infections, as well as MPOX/Smallpox infections. Another advanced drug candidate is NV-HHV-1 for the treatment of Shingles.
The company is also developing drugs against a number of other viral diseases including oral and genital Herpes, viral diseases of the eye including EKC and herpes keratitis, H1N1 swine flu, H5N1 bird flu, seasonal Influenza, HIV, Hepatitis C, Rabies, Dengue fever, and Ebola virus, among others. The company intends to obtain a license for RSV, Poxviruses, and/or Enteroviruses if initial research is successful.
The path to typical drug development of any pharmaceutical product is extremely lengthy and requires substantial capital. As with any drug development efforts by any company, there can be no assurance at this time that any of the company's pharmaceutical candidates would show sufficient effectiveness and safety for human clinical development. Further, there can be no assurance at this time that successful results against coronavirus in the company's lab will lead to successful clinical trials or a successful pharmaceutical product.
For more information about NanoViricides, visit https://www.nanoviricides.com. The latest news and updates relating to NNVC are available in the company's newsroom at https://ibn.fm/NNVC.
