In late 2019, the emergence of a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), caused an outbreak of viral pneumonia (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China. Italy was the first Western Country hit by the SARS-CoV-2 devastating pandemic back in early 2020.
ViroStatics promptly decided to leverage its decades of experience in drug combinations. Five drugs have been identified, synergizing with each other. One of these combinations is under preclinical testing, planning to start clinical trials in a very short term.
COVID-19. Anti-inflammatory
Partnering with biotx.ai, ViroStatics is developing new drugs inhibiting CDK6, thus preventing the immune system from excessive inflammation that causes the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and damages patient’s lungs.
By targeting also the driver of virus-induced immunopathology, ViroStatics’ overall approach couples the attack against the virus with the attack against the consequences of the infection.
HIV
ViroStatics is developing CDK inhibitors to induce HIV eradication.
Some of our compounds have been shown to inhibit HIV at nanomolar concentrations. A proof of Concept for potentially reducing the HIV reservoir has been achieved in vitro. As the same drugs also carry anticancer activity, the effects on HIV reservoir could be assessed while developing them against HIV associated malignancies.
Our novel compounds target all HIV-reservoir maintaining pathways.
Our clinical candidate VS2-370, presently in advanced preclinical development stage:
- Inhibits HIV at nanomolar concentrations
- Proof of Concept has been achieved in vitro
- Can be developed against HIV associated malignancies
- Effects on HIV reservoir can be assessed while developing VS2-370 against HIV associated malignancies
OTHER VIRUSES
By interfering with cellular components that are essential for the replication of DNA viruses, ViroStatics compounds have been shown in vitro and ex vivo to be potent inhibitors of several viruses:
- Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV)
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
- Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)