NanoViricides Reports NV-387 Shows Strong Antiviral Activity Against Measles in Preclinical Studies

NanoViricides, Inc. (NYSE American: NNVC) announced that its clinical lead drug candidate NV-387 demonstrated potent antiviral effects against the Measles virus in both cell culture studies and a humanized animal model. The drug treatment extended survival in infected mice by 130%, from 7.4 to 17 days, while significantly protecting lung tissue from viral and immune-related damage. This development is particularly significant given that no approved drug currently exists for Measles treatment, underscoring NV-387's potential as a first-in-class therapeutic candidate.

The drug's dual action mechanism—direct viral suppression and mitigation of systemic and lung inflammation—showed reduced lung plaques, slower disease progression and improved overall health outcomes in treated animals. This comprehensive approach addresses both the viral infection itself and the damaging inflammatory response that often causes severe complications in Measles patients. The company's platform technology and programs are based on the TheraCour nanomedicine technology, which the company licenses from AllExcel through its relationship with TheraCour Pharma, Inc.

NanoViricides is currently focused on advancing NV-387 into Phase II human clinical trials. The company describes NV-387 as a broad-spectrum antiviral drug that it plans to develop as a treatment for RSV, COVID, Long COVID, Influenza, and other respiratory viral infections, as well as MPOX/Smallpox infections. According to the company's business model detailed on their website https://www.nanoviricides.com, NanoViricides operates by licensing technology from TheraCour Pharma Inc. for specific application verticals of specific viruses, as established at its foundation in 2005.

The implications of this development are substantial for global public health. Measles remains a significant health threat worldwide, with recent outbreaks occurring even in developed countries despite vaccination programs. The absence of any approved therapeutic treatment means patients must rely solely on supportive care while their immune systems fight the infection. NV-387's demonstrated ability to both combat the virus directly and protect lung tissue could represent a major advancement in managing Measles infections, particularly in severe cases or in immunocompromised individuals who cannot receive vaccines.

For the pharmaceutical industry, successful development of NV-387 could establish a new class of antiviral therapeutics using nanoviricide technology. The company holds exclusive perpetual licenses for several viral diseases including Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B and C viruses, Rabies, Herpes Simplex Virus, and various influenza strains. The full press release containing these findings is available at https://ibn.fm/MhcmX, providing additional details about the study methodology and results.

While these preclinical results are promising, the company notes that the path to typical drug development of any pharmaceutical product is extremely lengthy and requires substantial capital. As with any drug development efforts, there can be no assurance that NV-387 will show sufficient effectiveness and safety for human clinical development or become a successful pharmaceutical product. However, the strong preclinical data against Measles, combined with the drug's broad-spectrum potential, positions NV-387 as a candidate worth watching in the antiviral therapeutic space.