Antiviral panacea?
There are two broad-spectrum antivirals available (ribavirin and interferon-α), but both can have severe side effects. Benhur Lee and colleagues now report the development of a new broad-spectrum antiviral with activity against all enveloped viruses tested, which included influenza A virus, HIV, hepatitis C virus, Nipah virus, Marburg virus, yellow fever virus and West Nile virus. The small molecule, LJ100, was discovered during a high-throughput screen for inhibitors of Nipah virus entry. Characterization of the inhibition mechanism revealed that LJ100 intercalates into lipid membranes; the viral membrane is irreversibly damaged, but there is no lasting effect on the host cell membrane, as it can repair itself. Entry of the virus into host cells is inhibited at some point after attachment and before virus–cell fusion. Initial studies on LJ100 using Vero cells and mice showed no evidence for cytotoxicity, suggesting that the side effects associated with existing antivirals might be avoided. PNAS
