Abstract
The highly pathogenic ebolaviruses and marburgviruses remain a significant human health concern since their discovery over 40 years ago. Sporadic outbreaks resulting in high fatality rates and the potential use of these viruses as bioweapons have prompted intense investigations aimed at identifying therapeutic countermeasures. While recent emphasis has been placed on the development of filovirus vaccine candidates, in particular, the use of replicating or non-replicating vaccine platforms, there has been significant progress made towards the discovery and development of small-molecule and nucleic acid-based therapeutics. A number of these advances have resulted from the identification of new viral or host cell targets. These targets are found through continued investigation and elucidation of the mechanisms underlying viral pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the progress of these novel small-molecule inhibitors, as well as recent advances in gene targeting against filoviruses. In addition, emerging data on cellular defense systems, such as the antioxidant response, will be addressed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 343-351 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Drugs of the Future |
Volume | 37 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2012 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Antioxidants
- Ebolavirus
- Filoviruses
- Marburgvirus
- Small-molecule inhibitors
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacology (medical)