NanoViricides, Inc. (NYSE:NNVC) (the “Company”), a global leader in broad-spectrum antiviral nanomedicines, says that the ultra-broad antiviral activity spectrum of NV-387 includes activity against orthopoxvirus family (Smallpox/Mpox), with both inhalation and skin abrasion (sexual) modes of infection acquisition. Ectromelia virus infection of mice is a model for Smallpox infection in humans, and also serves as a surrogate for MPox infection in humans. All three viruses belong to the orthopoxvirus family.
NanoViricides reports that in a lethal animal model of lung infection by Ectromelia virus, oral dosing with NV-387 led to an increase in lifespan of mice that was comparable to oral treatment with tecovirimat (TPOXX®, SIGA), the approved drug against Smallpox.
This lung infection study substantiates the results of the previously reported intradigital footpad infection study that: (i) NV-387 has comparable antiviral activity as tecovirimat, and
(ii) NV-387 plus tecovirimat has much stronger antiviral activity than either drug alone.
We have completed a lethality animal study wherein animals were infected with ectromelia virus into the lungs directly. In this study, we found that NV-387 alone treated animals survived 15 days, tecovirimat alone treated animals survived 16 days, and NV-387 plus tecovirimat treated animals survived 19 days, whereas vehicle-treated animals died in 8 days.
This lung-infection study emulates infection from aerosolized dispersion of the virus, as may be expected in a bioterrorism scenario.
