EDP-938 : RSV inhibitor as a potential treatment intervention?

Alaa Ahmad, Ph.D., Kingsley Eze, B.Sc., Nicolas Noulin, Ph.D., Veronika Horvathova, M.B., Ch.B., Bryan Murray, M.B., B.S., Mark Baillet, B.Sc., C.Stat., Laura Grey, Ph.D., Julie Mori, Ph.D., and Nathalie Adda

Adda et al. investigated a potential inhibitor of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in a human challenge study. An inhibitor, known as EDP-938, would act in such a way whereby it would alter and interfere with a protein that allows for RSV to replicate in the human body. A study was set up to evaluate how participants would react in terms of the viral load (total amount of virus a person has in them) and clinical symptoms (mucus production) after receiving either EDP-938 or a placebo. The participants received the interventions only after they tested positive with the inoculated modified strain of RSV. The results between the different groups showed that the viral load as well as the presentation of symptoms were lower in the groups receiving EDP-938 than in those receiving the placebo. Furthermore, the safety profiles were similar between the inhibitor and the placebo groups. This study supports further exploration of EDP-938 activity and better understanding of potential treatments against RSV.

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