Developing new antivirals for flaviviruses
Official title: Development and validation of antivirals against Flaviviruses
Funded at Scripps Research Institute, the · NIH-11542059 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research team is working to create oral antiviral drugs targeting flaviviruses to treat infections that affect millions of people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | May 16, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,208,146 |
| NIH project number | 4U19AI171443-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11542059 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with flavivirus infections or those at risk of exposure who may benefit from future antiviral therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals whose infections are not caused by flaviviruses or who do not respond to the developed antivirals may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to discover and validate oral antiviral compounds that can be taken as pills to treat flavivirus infections. Researchers will screen new nucleoside-like compounds and test them against essential viral proteins, including NS4A and NS1, to block virus replication. They will also explore whether the strongest compounds work against other RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, EBOV, LASV, and SFTSV. The effort involves collaboration across screening assays, medicinal chemistry, and evaluation in relevant models to advance promising candidates toward clinical use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from orally available antivirals that treat flavivirus infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work with nucleoside analogs and non-enzymatic targets shows potential, but this remains an early-stage, translational effort.
Where this research is happening
-
Scripps Research Institute, the
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cherry, Sara — Scripps Research Institute, the
- Study coordinator: Cherry, Sara
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.