As Ebola outbreaks continue to emerge around the world, scientists are racing to develop effective antiviral therapies capable of stopping some of the world’s deadliest viruses before they become global threats.
Texas Biomed is at the forefront of this effort as a global leader in infectious disease research and one of the few institutions in the world equipped with a Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) laboratory capable of safely studying Ebola virus.
Through a long-standing collaboration with Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Texas Biomed scientists are helping identify and test promising antiviral compounds against Ebola virus species, including Bundibugyo ebolavirus, a rare and highly dangerous strain currently linked to outbreaks in Central Africa.
Texas Biomed’s critical role in Ebola virus research
Texas Biomed has spent years advancing scientific understanding of Ebola virus biology, transmission and treatment. The Institute’s BSL-4 laboratory enables researchers to safely conduct studies on live Ebola virus and other high-consequence pathogens that require the highest level of biocontainment.
As part of its collaboration with SwRI, the Institute’s researchers are testing nearly two dozen antiviral compounds identified using artificial intelligence and machine learning tools. SwRI scientists used their proprietary Rhodium™ molecular docking software and large language model technologies to rapidly identify compounds that could potentially inhibit Bundibugyo ebolavirus. Texas Biomed researchers will now evaluate those compounds against live virus inside the Institute’s BSL-4 facilities.
“The current Ebolavirus outbreak is a clear reminder that biomedical research is not only a public health priority, but also a matter of national and global security,” said Larry Schlesinger, MD, President and CEO of Texas Biomed. “Sustained investment in infectious disease research, along with the development of vaccines and therapeutics, is essential to ensuring that we are prepared to contain outbreaks before they become broader global threats.”
Advancing antiviral therapies through collaboration
The collaboration between Texas Biomed and SwRI builds on nearly a decade of joint Ebola research. Since 2016, the organizations have worked together on projects funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to identify and test antiviral therapies targeting Ebola virus. Earlier research explored combinations of existing drugs such as cepharanthine and chloroquine as potential Ebola countermeasures.
More recently, researchers focused on a host-directed antiviral compound known as “M7,” which showed promise against Zaire ebolavirus in laboratory testing. Scientists are now evaluating additional compounds with improved stability and drug development potential.
“Now that SwRI has identified more of these meaningful compounds, we can test against the latest virus and provide accelerated results,” said Olena Shtanko, Ph.D., virologist at Texas Biomed. “The impacts of this work are overwhelmingly important, and we are eager to support the research community through our trusted collaboration.”
Understanding how Ebola spreads inside the body
In addition to developing antiviral therapies, Texas Biomed scientists are uncovering how Ebola virus spreads and evades treatment inside the human body. Research led by Dr. Shtanko discovered that Ebola virus can create microscopic tunneling nanotubes between cells, allowing the virus to move from cell to cell while potentially avoiding immune responses and therapeutic interventions.
“Our findings suggest that the virus can create its hiding place, hide and then move to new cells and replicate,” Dr. Shtanko said in a previous study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
These discoveries could help researchers develop next-generation therapies designed to block viral spread more effectively.
Why BSL-4 research matters for global health security
Studying Ebola virus safely requires highly specialized containment laboratories and scientific expertise available at only a limited number of facilities worldwide. Texas Biomed operates the only privately owned and operated BSL-4 laboratory in the United States, making it a critical partner for federal agencies, pharmaceutical companies and research institutions working to combat emerging biological threats.
As outbreaks of Ebola, Marburg, Nipah and other zoonotic viruses continue to emerge globally, the Institute’s work supports pandemic preparedness, biodefense and the rapid development of medical countermeasures designed to protect public health.
By combining advanced virology expertise, high-containment laboratory capabilities and collaborative partnerships, Texas Biomed continues to play a leading role in the fight against Ebola virus and other deadly infectious diseases.