A Novel Broad-Spectrum Antiviral with Activity Against Smallpox/Mpox

NV-387 Possesses Strong Orthopoxvirus Activity Relevant to Both Sexual and Inhalation Modes of Transmission, Says NanoViricides

SHELTON, CT / ACCESSWIRE / May 8, 2024 / NanoViricides, Inc. (NYSE American:NNVC) (the “Company”), a global leader in broad-spectrum antiviral nanomedicines, says that the ultra-broad antiviral activity spectrum of NV-387 includes activity against orthopoxvirus family (Smallpox/Mpox), with both inhalation and skin abrasion (sexual) modes of infection acquisition. Ectromelia virus infection of mice is a model for Smallpox infection in humans, and also serves as a surrogate for MPox infection in humans. All three viruses belong to the orthopoxvirus family.

NanoViricides reports that in a lethal animal model of lung infection by Ectromelia virus, oral dosing with NV-387 led to an increase in lifespan of mice that was comparable to oral treatment with tecovirimat (TPOXX®, SIGA), the approved drug against Smallpox.

This lung infection study substantiates the results of the previously reported intradigital footpad infection study that: (i) NV-387 has comparable antiviral activity as tecovirimat, and
(ii) NV-387 plus tecovirimat has much stronger antiviral activity than either drug alone.

We have completed a lethality animal study wherein animals were infected with ectromelia virus into the lungs directly. In this study, we found that NV-387 alone treated animals survived 15 days, tecovirimat alone treated animals survived 16 days, and NV-387 plus tecovirimat treated animals survived 19 days, whereas vehicle-treated animals died in 8 days.

This lung-infection study emulates infection from aerosolized dispersion of the virus, as may be expected in a bioterrorism scenario.

Previously, on November 14, 2023, we have reported that in a lethal intradigital footpad infection of mice with ectromelia virus, oral NV-387 treatment led to lifespan improvement comparable to oral tecovirimat treatment, with both treatments resulting in 14 days survival, whereas vehicle treated animals died in 8 days. Moreover, combined treatment with both NV-387 and tecovirimat resulted in a significantly improved survival of 17 days in this study.

This intradigital footpad infection study emulates the skin-to-skin transfer of the virus as in sexual transmission, such as that in the case of current Clade 1 MPox virus epidemic in the DR Congo; Clade 1 MPox is more deadly than the Clade 2 MPox; the latter had caused a small pandemic recently with sexual mode of transmission (https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/monkey-pox-new-strain , May 5, 2024).

Tecovirimat is the drug approved for smallpox under “animal rule” and is stockpiled by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). It was mobilized from the stockpile during the recent MPox Clade 2 pandemic. BARDA is interested in development of additional poxvirus therapeutics as per a recent Broad-Agency Announcement (BAA). There is significant interest in the development of a smallpox therapeutic that works well by itself, as well as in combination with the known drug, tecovirimat. Tecovirimat has a low barrier of escape; a single mutation in one protein can enable the virus to escape this drug, adding to the significance of additional smallpox drug development.

Therefore we believe that NV-387 is a viable clinical candidate to be developed by itself for the treatment of poxvirus infections under the US FDA “Animal Rule”. In addition, we believe that the combination of NV-387 and tecovirimat could reduce the potential for escape resistant generation against tecovirimat, as is known with other drug combination studies against viruses.

A safe and effective antiviral drug that the virus would not escape by simple mutations or field evolution is the holy grail of antiviral drug development. We believe that the NanoViricides Platform technology meets this challenge.

About NanoViricides

NanoViricides, Inc. (the “Company”) (www.nanoviricides.com) is a development stage company that is creating special purpose nanomaterials for antiviral therapy. The Company’s novel nanoviricide® class of drug candidates are designed to specifically attack enveloped virus particles and to dismantle them. Our lead drug candidate is NV-387 for the treatment of RSV, COVID-19, Long COVID, and other respiratory viral infections. Our other advanced candidate is NV-HHV-1 for the treatment of Shingles rash, HSV-1 “cold sores”, and HSV-2 “genital ulcers”. The Company cannot project an exact date for filing an IND for any of its drugs because of dependence on a number of external collaborators and consultants.

NV-387 has successfully completed a Phase 1a/1b clinical trial in which no adverse events were reported indicating excellent safety. Karveer Meditech Pvt. Ltd., our licensee and collaborator in India sponsored the drug for this clinical trial.

The Company is also developing drugs against a number of viral diseases including oral and genital Herpes, viral diseases of the eye including EKC and herpes keratitis, H1N1 swine flu, H5N1 bird flu, seasonal Influenza, HIV, Hepatitis C, Rabies, Dengue fever, and Ebola virus, among others. NanoViricides’ platform technology and programs are based on the TheraCour® nanomedicine technology of TheraCour, which TheraCour licenses from AllExcel. NanoViricides holds a worldwide exclusive perpetual license to this technology for several drugs with specific targeting mechanisms in perpetuity for the treatment of the following human viral diseases: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Rabies, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2), Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV), Influenza and Asian Bird Flu Virus, Dengue viruses, Japanese Encephalitis virus, West Nile Virus, Ebola/Marburg viruses, and certain Coronaviruses. The Company intends to obtain a license for poxviruses and/or enteroviruses if the initial research is successful. The Company’s technology is based on broad, exclusive, sub-licensable, field licenses to drugs developed in these areas from TheraCour Pharma, Inc. The Company’s business model is based on licensing technology from TheraCour Pharma Inc. for specific application verticals of specific viruses, as established at its foundation in 2005.

As is customary, the Company must state the risk factor that the path to typical drug development of any pharmaceutical product is extremely lengthy and requires substantial capital. As with any drug development efforts by any company, there can be no assurance at this time that any of the Company’s pharmaceutical candidates would show sufficient effectiveness and safety for human clinical development. Further, there can be no assurance at this time that successful results against coronavirus in our lab will lead to successful clinical trials or a successful pharmaceutical product.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company’s current expectation regarding future events. Actual events could differ materially and substantially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors. Certain statements in this release, and other written or oral statements made by NanoViricides, Inc. are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company’s control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company’s expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors that are disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in documents filed by the company from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities. Although it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors, they may include the following: demonstration and proof of principle in preclinical trials that a nanoviricide is safe and effective; successful development of our product candidates; our ability to seek and obtain regulatory approvals, including with respect to the indications we are seeking; the successful commercialization of our product candidates; and market acceptance of our products.

The phrases “safety”, “effectiveness” and equivalent phrases as used in this press release refer to research findings including clinical trials as the customary research usage and do not indicate evaluation of safety or effectiveness by the US FDA.

FDA refers to US Food and Drug Administration. IND application refers to “Investigational New Drug” application. cGMP refers to current Good Manufacturing Practices. CMC refers to “Chemistry, Manufacture, and Controls”. CHMP refers to the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which is the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) committee responsible for human medicines. API stands for “Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient”.

Contact:

NanoViricides, Inc.
info@nanoviricides.com

Public Relations Contact:
MJ Clyburn, TraDigital IR
clyburn@tradigitalir.com

SOURCE: NanoViricides, Inc.

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