Zanamivir Conjugated to Poly-L-Glutamine is Much More Active Against Influenza Viruses in Mice and Ferrets Than the Drug Itself
Author(s)
Belser, Jessica A.; Tumpey, Terrence M.; Chen, Jianzhu; Klibanov, Alexander M.; Weight, Alisha Kessel
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Purpose:
Previously, polymer-attached zanamivir had been found to inhibit influenza A viruses in vitro far better than did small-molecule zanamivir (1) itself. The aim of this study was to identify in vitro—using the plaque reduction assay—a highly potent 1-polymer conjugate, and subsequently test its antiviral efficacy in vivo.
Methods:
By examining the structure-activity relationship of 1-polymer conjugates in the plaque assay, we have determined that the most potent inhibitor against several representative influenza virus strains has a neutral high-molecular-weight backbone and a short alkyl linker. We have examined this optimal polymeric inhibitor for efficacy and immunogenicity in the mouse and ferret models of infection.
Results:
1 attached to poly-L-glutamine is an effective therapeutic for established influenza infection in ferrets, reducing viral titers up to 30-fold for 6 days. There is also up to a 190-fold reduction in viral load when the drug is used as a combined prophylactic/therapeutic in mice. Additionally, we see no evidence that the drug conjugate stimulates an immune response in mice upon repeat administration.
Conclusions:
1 attached to a neutral high-molecular-weight backbone through a short alkyl linker drastically reduced both in vitro and in vivo titers compared to those observed with 1 itself. Thus, further development of this polymeric zanamivir for the mitigation of influenza infection seems warranted.
Date issued
2013-09Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry; Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MITJournal
Pharmaceutical Research
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Citation
Weight, Alisha K., Jessica A. Belser, Terrence M. Tumpey, Jianzhu Chen, and Alexander M. Klibanov. “Zanamivir Conjugated to Poly-L-Glutamine Is Much More Active Against Influenza Viruses in Mice and Ferrets Than the Drug Itself.” Pharmaceutical Research 31, no. 2 (February 2014): 466–474.
Version: Author's final manuscript
ISSN
0724-8741
1573-904X