Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Blocks Multiple Deadly Viruses

Researchers at the Nanoscience Initiative of the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center have announced a significant advancement in antiviral treatments. Their study, published in the journal Science Advances, details the potential development of the first broad-spectrum antiviral (BSA), aimed at combating various viral diseases, including those that could cause future pandemics.

Unlike bacterial infections, which are often treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, viral infections currently rely on antivirals that target specific viruses. This limited approach can leave populations vulnerable during outbreaks.

Principal Investigator Adam Braunschweig and his team focused on viral envelope glycans—sugar molecules shared across multiple virus families—as a target for the new antiviral compounds. They conducted experiments using 57 synthetic carbohydrate receptors (SCRs) and identified four lead compounds that inhibited infection from seven different viruses, including Ebola, Marburg, Nipah, Hendra, SARS-CoV-1, and SARS-CoV-2.

In a pivotal test, one of the lead SCR compounds was administered to mice infected with SARS-CoV-2, resulting in a 90% survival rate compared to none in the control group. The compounds operate by binding to viral envelope glycans, which could also have implications for treating cancer and immune disorders. The next steps will involve advancing the promising compounds to clinical trials.