Research in Drug Development against Viral Diseases of Military Importance (Biological Testing)
Abstract
The purpose of this program is to evaluate the efficacy of candidate antiviral compounds against a spectrum of viruses of military importance; e.g., vaccinia virus (VV) adenovirus (Ad), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), Punta Toro virus (PT), sandfly fever virus (SF), Yellow fever virus (YF), Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE), Japanese encephalitis virus (JE), Pichinde virus (PIC), and Korean hemorrhagic fever virus (KHF), and against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and related animal retroviruses including the feline leukemia virus (FeLV) FAIDS variant. The problem invloves a) primary testing of chemical compounds and natural products for antiviral efficacy in vitro using cpe-inhibition or plaque-reduction assays, b) primary testing of materials for antiviral efficacy in two animal model systems in vivo (Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infections in mice and Pichinde virus infections in hamsters), and (c) secondary evaluation of candidate active antiviral compounds. Of the compounds submitted, over 100 of the compounds were found to exhibit significant antiviral activity against one or more target viruses in vitro. Potent and selective new antiviral agents were found with significant activity against VV, PT, SF, AD, PIC, and VSV. Several compounds were found to be active against FeLV (FAIDS), but these were not as effective as the positive control drug 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC). The antiviral efficacy of Ribavirin in the treatment of lethal Pichinde virus infections in MHA strain hamsters was confirmed and the animal model was developed for antiviral screening in vivo.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 15, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADB109905
Entities
People
- G. Arnett
- G. C. Lavelle
- Gerald Jackson Williams
- L. E. Holland
- L. V. Brando
- L. Westbrook
- M. G. Hollingshead
- W. M. Shannon
Organizations
- Southern Research