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"... researchers searching for more universal drugs.
To create such a product, researchers first needed to find commonalities between viruses that look and act quite differently. A team narrowed in on a universal function: the way viruses attach to sugars on the surface of host cells, a necessary step for breaking into a cell and co-opting its machinery. While existing antivirals block viruses by binding to the same surface sugars that the virus is after, a universal antiviral would need to be able to bind to many different sugars.
So, researchers synthesized a combination drug that mimicked two of the most common surface compounds: sialic acid and heparan sulfate. During zebrafish and mouse tests, as well as ex vivo tests with human respiratory tissues, the drug successfully blocked cell entry for several viruses, including the ones that cause the flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus. It also worked against two strains of bird flu, a disease that pandemic experts are closely watching. ..."
From the abstract:
"Respiratory viruses can cause severe infections, often leading to hospitalization or death, and pose a major pandemic threat. No broad-spectrum antiviral is currently available.
However, most respiratory viruses use sialic acid or heparan sulfates as attachment receptors.
Here, we report the identification of a pan-respiratory antiviral strategy based on mimicking both glycans. We synthesized a modified cyclodextrin that simultaneously mimics heparan sulfate and sialic acid.
This compound demonstrated broad-spectrum antiviral activity against important human pathogens: parainfluenza virus 3, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus H1N1, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
In addition, the compound is active against avian strains of influenza virus, revealing its importance for pandemic preparedness.
The compound retains broad-spectrum activity in ex vivo models of respiratory tissues and in vivo against respiratory syncytial virus and influenza virus, using prophylactic and therapeutic strategies. These findings contribute to the development of future treatments and preventive measures for respiratory viral infections."
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