The quest to battle the Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV) received a financial boost as Colleen Jonsson, PhD, the director of the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, was awarded a substantial $423,500 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), UTHSC reports. This investment supports a novel two-year project aiming to develop effective treatment against an infection that endangers both humans and animals.
Dr. Jonsson's research, entitled “The Ferret as a Model for Evaluation of Antiviral Efficacy Against Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV),” is backed by an R21 grant allocated by the NIH, which targets exploratory and potentially groundbreaking scientific research, while the lack of reliable animal models has been a significant impediment to research in creating new antivirals against diseases like VEEV, this study looks to advance the field significantly. The mosquito-borne VEEV not only troubles populations in Latin America but also raises alarm due to its bioterrorism potential, making the research's success particularly consequential for public health.
Using ferrets to mimic human infection via the intranasal route, Dr. Jonsson's team will observe the disease progression caused by VEEV, whilst they are poised to assess the efficacy of a promising antiviral drug candidate, BDGR-354, which, as noted by Dr. Jonsson, in a statement released by UTHSC, "has already shown 100% protection in mice when administered orally."
Currently accepted small animal models like hamsters and cotton rats do not accurately replicate human response to VEEV, and while nonhuman primates do offer better data, they are associated with high costs and limited accessibility. The hope is that ferrets could serve as a viable alternative, potentially accelerating the development of treatments against the virus. “If successful, this work will establish the ferret as a powerful model for testing therapies against neurotropic alphaviruses like VEEV,” Jonsson explained, emphasizing not just the immediate benefits but the broader implications for the scientific community. The FDA-approved ferret model could indeed pave the way for more rapid progression from research to tangible healthcare solutions.
Beyond testing BDGR-354's preventative and treating powers, Jonsson's study will significantly bolster preclinical data addressing the FDA's Animal Rule requirements—it's a comprehensive effort that not only fingers crossed might yield a successful antiviral but also lays the groundwork for future antiviral strategies against VEEV and related viruses.
