Photo courtesy of
Muhammad Mahdi Karim
Two compounds have shown activity against the Zika virus, according to Biotech Biotron, a company that develops compounds to fight viral diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C. The two compounds from its library killed the Zika virus in vitro, as determined by an independent USA laboratory facility.
“These early results are encouraging,” Michelle Miller, PhD, of Biotron, said. “Identification of these active compounds in our library is a starting point for designing potent drugs against Zika.”
At present, there is no approved vaccine or treatment for Zika virus, whose common symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis.
While the symptoms are generally mild, Zika infection during pregnancy has been associated with microcephaly and other severe brain defects in the newborn.
In addition, Zika infection may be associated with an increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome, which is being investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Biotron is planning to carry out more tests on the Zika virus to determine whether the compounds are likely to be safe and effective in humans.
The Zika virus is primarily spread by infected mosquitoes. But exposure to an infected person’s blood or other body fluids may also result in transmission.
