A new drug candidate could help treat measles, croup, and other related viral diseases that cause contagious and life-threatening respiratory infections, according to researchers at Georgia State University. The antiviral drug, designated GHP-88310, is described as the most promising inhibitor of the orthoparamyxovirus family encountered in years of research.
Current Treatment Limitations
Doctors currently treat croup, an upper airway infection that impairs breathing, with steroid medications, while measles can be prevented with two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. However, there are no federally approved antiviral drugs for measles beyond symptomatic treatments, the researchers note. Both measles and croup are caused by orthoparamyxoviruses.
Drug Profile and Safety
GHP-88310 is taken orally once daily and has been well tolerated in rats, mice, ferrets, and dogs at higher concentrations. It protects against viruses attempting to evade the immune system, a challenge also seen with COVID-19. Richard Plemper, director of the Center for Translational Antiviral Research, stated, “High potency and excellent tolerability ensure a very wide safety margin, which is essential for a drug candidate developed for the treatment of highly vulnerable patient groups and children.”
Children and immunocompromised patients constitute the majority of croup and measles cases. Approximately 3 percent of U.S. children contract croup annually, and federal data indicate that most of this year’s nearly 2,000 measles cases are among individuals under 19 years old.
Targeting Vulnerable Populations
The drug development program was specifically designed to address the needs of these patients. “Re-emerging orthoparamyxoviruses such as the parainfluenza viruses and measles virus are a major threat to children and vulnerable groups such as the immunocompromised,” Plemper explained. Researchers initially focused on parainfluenza virus type 3 as the primary target, as no vaccines or therapies exist for this pathogen, which can cause croup, bronchitis, and pneumonia in infants.
Measles as a Secondary Target
Measles was considered a secondary use for the drug. Falling vaccination rates have fueled a resurgence of the virus, which was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. Increased vaccination was credited for ending an outbreak in South Carolina earlier this year. Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, noted in an October interview that “to prevent measles from spreading, about 95 percent of the population needs to be vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. That level of coverage creates herd immunity.” However, she added that the U.S. has slipped below that threshold, with national coverage under 90 percent and much lower rates in some communities.
