BioCryst Pharmaceuticals announces positive data for delayed Ebola virus disease treatment

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc., released positive results on Wednesday from a proof-of-concept study of its broad spectrum antiviral, BCX4430, for the delayed treatment of Ebola virus infection in rhesus macaques.

The study sought to assess the effects of different dosing regimes of BCX4430 when administered by i.m. injection on survival in rhesus macaques infected with Ebola virus disease (EVD). The study divided the macaques into three groups of six, each of them treated with different BCX4430 dosing schedules and one control group of six animals.

“USAMRIID was pleased to work with our partners at BioCryst to advance the understanding of the efficacy of BCX4430,” Dr. Travis K. Warren, principal investigator for the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease, said. “We are encouraged by the favorable results demonstrating significant efficacy of BCX4430 under delayed treatment scenarios. The available human safety data and new efficacy data position BCX4430 as a highly promising therapeutic that could potentially be used to treat people with Ebola virus disease when future outbreaks arise.”

The study showed that all six animals in one group survived after receiving 100mg/kg BCX4430 twice on the second day, followed by 25mg/kg twice daily for an additional nine days, compared to none in the control group. Animals in the other group showed promising survival results, but two animals in each group died from EVD exposure.

“These study results add to the growing body of evidence of the potential utility of BCX4430 for treatment of a broad range of serious emerging viral infections, including Ebola virus disease and Zika virus disease,” Dr. William P. Sheridan, senior vice president and chief medical officer for BioCryst, said. “We look forward to completing the studies required to satisfy requirements for Emergency Use Readiness and full regulatory approval of this novel broad-spectrum antiviral drug.”