7D, a promising antiviral small molecule drug against dengue

Prof. Prasenjit Guchhait’s lab in Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, India, has developed a promising antiviral drug for dengue treatment in collaboration with Dr. Shailendra Asthana’s lab in Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad. The study was published recently by Gaur KK and Asuru TR et al in the reputed journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.
The small molecule 7D acts as a stimulator of interferon synthesis and neutralizing antibody generation- biomolecules that provide protection against dengue infection in 3 different mice models. 7D was found safe for usage in mice. Prof. Prasenjit Guchhait and his lab further plan to test the drug in a primate model. They are hopeful of taking the drug ahead to clinical trials in healthy volunteers and patients so that it may one day be used as an effective antiviral against the disease.