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Inhibitors of Viral Infectivity:
Rigid Amphipathic Fusion Inhibitors
Description
<p class="StylemyHeadingNotBoldAuto" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">A series of small pharmacological molecules have been developed to be potent and non-cytotoxic inhibitors of a variety of enveloped viruses, including several important human pathogens. The compounds act by novel mechanisms targeting the non-virally encoded lipids in the virion envelope. The compounds are rigid amphiphiles of a particular molecular shape which locate to the lipid core of the virion envelope creating a physical barrier to the fusion between the viral envelope and the cell membrane, thereby preventing the entry of the virus into the cells that would otherwise be infected.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
Advantages
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt">The basic principles of fusion between viral envelopes and cell membranes are highly conserved; therefore, our molecules offer major conceptual advantages in circumventing the resistance issues of traditional antivirals.  All of our molecules are active against a wide variety of otherwise unrelated enveloped viruses (including DNA and RNA viruses), and they have a high barrier against resistance selection.</span></p>
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<div style="text-indent: -17.85pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 35.7pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">         </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt">Low concentrations inhibit the infectivity of extracellular enveloped virions.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 35.7pt"> </div>
<div style="text-indent: -17.85pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 35.7pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">         </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt">Treatment of already infected cells inhibits the production of infectious virions that would otherwise spread the infection to other cells.</span></div>
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<div style="text-indent: -17.85pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 35.7pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">         </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt">The selectivity index of our lead compounds is greater than 1,000, with no cytotoxic effects.</span></div>
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<div style="text-indent: -17.85pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 35.7pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">         </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt">The compounds inhibit the infectivity of enveloped viruses in animal models, with no obvious toxic effects.</span></div>
Potential Markets
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt">The amphipathic fusion inhibitors have the potential to be used as antiviral therapeutic agents against herpesviruses, HCV, influenza, and HBV, as well as any enveloped viral pathogen or agent (DNA or RNA). They can also be used as prophylactic agents in creams, lotions, and gels or as antiviral disinfectants.</span></p>
Protection Status
Patents Pending (US, EU, CA, JP, CH)
Product Number
2006074
Contact Information
<div>Bindi Ferguson</div>
<div>Technology Transfer Officer</div>
<div>780-492-7087</div>
<div><a href="mailto:bindi.ferguson@tecedmonton.com">bindi.ferguson@tecedmonton.com</a></di
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