NanoViricides (NYSE-A:NNVC) has reported that its antiviral drug candidate NV-387 demonstrated significant efficacy against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in a lethal lung infection animal model.
The study showed that animals treated with NV-387 orally had normal lung histology and survived the infection, suggesting NV-387 could potentially cure RSV.
In a comparative study, animals were administered NV-387 and ribavirin, another antiviral drug, for 11 days.
The NV-387 treated group exhibited no lung damage and complete survival beyond the 21-day study period. Conversely, the ribavirin-treated group showed progressive lung pathology and did not survive past 14 days.
"These results clearly demonstrate that NV-387 oral treatment would be of great clinical value for protecting infants and children from RSV," said Anil R. Diwan, the company's president and executive chairman. "We are very pleased with these results and plan on advancing NV-387 for the treatment of RSV infection into clinical trials as soon as possible."
Currently, there is no approved treatment for RSV besides ribavirin, which is highly toxic.
RSV causes morbidity and mortality among infants, children, and older adults, making the development of a safe and effective treatment an unmet medical need.