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December 19, 2017

Drug discovered at Yale blocks Zika virus, study finds

Dodgerton Skillhause | Morguefile A drug developed at Yale may stop the spread of mosquito-borne viruses like Zika.
By Natalie Missakian

A drug developed by a Yale researcher may be key to stopping the spread of mosquito-borne viruses like Zika, a study found.

The study said a molecule known as NGI-1, discovered by Yale School of Medicine professor Dr. Joseph Contessa, significantly limited the virus’ ability to copy itself in infected human cells. The molecule targets an enzyme in the cells that the virus uses to replicate.

Researchers plan to develop the molecule into a treatment for Zika and other similar viral infections, for which there are no approved antiviral therapies.

“Our report shows, for the first time, that we can use a small-molecule inhibitor to block infection by the flaviviridae family of viruses,” said Contessa, professor of therapeutic radiology and pharmacology. “This group includes Zika, dengue, West Nile, and yellow fever viruses, which affect hundreds of millions of people per year worldwide.”

Small molecule inhibitors are drugs that can easily enter cells because of their low molecular weight.

Contessa co-authored the study with researchers from Stanford University. It was published in the journal Cell Reports.

Natalie Missakian can be reached at news@newhavenbiz.com

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