This article by Josh Archote was originally published by San Antonio Report.
San Antonio researchers are preparing to test potential antiviral compounds against filoviruses, a family of deadly viruses that includes the rare Bundibugyo virus driving the current Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
Scientists at Texas Biomedical Research Institute — home to one of few laboratories in the U.S. equipped to study dangerous pathogens like Ebola — collaborated with Southwest Research Institute, where chemists used AI-powered software to identify over 20 antiviral drug candidates.
More than 80 cases of Ebola have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. But the outbreak is likely much larger, with health officials putting the suspected number of cases at 750 and 177 suspected deaths, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization.
The outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo virus, involved in just two previous Ebola outbreaks since 1976. No approved vaccines or therapeutics exist for the Bundibugyo strain, making potential broad-spectrum antivirals especially relevant.
“We have a couple very strong candidates that would serve as broad spectrum against all filoviruses,” Texas Biomed virologist Olena Shtanko said. “They would target the absolutely critical part of the virus replication step.”