TY - JOUR
T1 - A novel antiviral formulation inhibits a range of enveloped viruses
AU - Fletcher, Nicola F
AU - Meredith, Luke W
AU - Tidswell, Emma L
AU - Bryden, Steven R
AU - Gonçalves-Carneiro, Daniel
AU - Chaudhry, Yasmin
AU - Shannon-Lowe, Claire
AU - Folan, Michael A
AU - Lefteri, Daniella A
AU - Pingen, Marieke
AU - Bailey, Dalan
AU - McKimmie, Clive S
AU - Baird, Alan W
PY - 2020/10
Y1 - 2020/10
N2 - Some free fatty acids derived from milk and vegetable oils are known to have potent antiviral and antibacterial properties. However, therapeutic applications of short- to medium-chain fatty acids are limited by physical characteristics such as immiscibility in aqueous solutions. We evaluated a novel proprietary formulation based on an emulsion of short-chain caprylic acid, ViroSAL, for its ability to inhibit a range of viral infections in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, ViroSAL inhibited the enveloped viruses Epstein-Barr, measles, herpes simplex, Zika and orf parapoxvirus, together with Ebola, Lassa, vesicular stomatitis and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 (SARS-CoV-1) pseudoviruses, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Evaluation of the components of ViroSAL revealed that caprylic acid was the main antiviral component; however, the ViroSAL formulation significantly inhibited viral entry compared with caprylic acid alone. In vivo, ViroSAL significantly inhibited Zika and Semliki Forest virus replication in mice following the inoculation of these viruses into mosquito bite sites. In agreement with studies investigating other free fatty acids, ViroSAL had no effect on norovirus, a non-enveloped virus, indicating that its mechanism of action may be surfactant disruption of the viral envelope. We have identified a novel antiviral formulation that is of great interest for the prevention and/or treatment of a broad range of enveloped viruses, particularly those of the skin and mucosal surfaces.
AB - Some free fatty acids derived from milk and vegetable oils are known to have potent antiviral and antibacterial properties. However, therapeutic applications of short- to medium-chain fatty acids are limited by physical characteristics such as immiscibility in aqueous solutions. We evaluated a novel proprietary formulation based on an emulsion of short-chain caprylic acid, ViroSAL, for its ability to inhibit a range of viral infections in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, ViroSAL inhibited the enveloped viruses Epstein-Barr, measles, herpes simplex, Zika and orf parapoxvirus, together with Ebola, Lassa, vesicular stomatitis and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 (SARS-CoV-1) pseudoviruses, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Evaluation of the components of ViroSAL revealed that caprylic acid was the main antiviral component; however, the ViroSAL formulation significantly inhibited viral entry compared with caprylic acid alone. In vivo, ViroSAL significantly inhibited Zika and Semliki Forest virus replication in mice following the inoculation of these viruses into mosquito bite sites. In agreement with studies investigating other free fatty acids, ViroSAL had no effect on norovirus, a non-enveloped virus, indicating that its mechanism of action may be surfactant disruption of the viral envelope. We have identified a novel antiviral formulation that is of great interest for the prevention and/or treatment of a broad range of enveloped viruses, particularly those of the skin and mucosal surfaces.
KW - Animals
KW - Antiviral Agents/pharmacology
KW - Lipids
KW - Mice
KW - Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus
KW - Virus Internalization
KW - Viruses
KW - Zika Virus
KW - Zika Virus Infection
U2 - 10.1099/jgv.0.001472
DO - 10.1099/jgv.0.001472
M3 - Article
C2 - 32692647
SN - 0022-1317
VL - 101
SP - 1090
EP - 1102
JO - Journal of General Virology
JF - Journal of General Virology
IS - 10
ER -