New antiviral candidates to treat arthritogenic alphaviruses like chikungunya
Official title: Development of novel antivirals for arthritogenic alphaviruses
Funded at University of Louisville · NIH-11423711 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research team is refining a promising chemical scaffold to create antiviral drugs that could treat infections from alphaviruses such as chikungunya, aiming to help people who get sick from these viruses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Louisville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Louisville, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $597,529 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI187483-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423711 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with suspected or confirmed alphavirus infections, especially chikungunya, who may participate in future antiviral development studies or related clinical trials.
✕Less likely to help
Participants not affected by alphavirus infections or those whose condition does not respond to this class of antivirals may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Researchers at the University of Louisville are optimizing a quinazoline-based compound that previously showed strong activity against New World alphaviruses. The project focuses on extending efficacy to Old World alphaviruses, including chikungunya, by studying how the compound interacts with the viral replicase complex and making chemical improvements. The work combines structural biology, medicinal chemistry, and preclinical virology to design a next-generation inhibitor with broader antiviral activity. If successful, this could lead to a much-needed therapeutic option for patients affected by arthritogenic alphaviruses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could gain a new antiviral treatment option for alphavirus infections such as chikungunya, potentially reducing illness severity and duration.
How similar studies have gone: Previous NW alphavirus–targeted antivirals showed strong preclinical activity, and this project seeks to translate that success to OW alphaviruses with enhanced design.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Louisville
Louisville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chung, Donghoon — University of Louisville
- Study coordinator: Chung, Donghoon
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Gastric rhythm map to understand stomach problems using a new noninvasive tool
A new noninvasive body surface mapping method is being tested to see if abnormal stomach electrical rhythms explain chronic stomach problems like functional dyspepsia and persistent nausea.
-
Novel antivirals for alphavirus arthritis
A research team is refining a promising antiviral compound to treat alphavirus infections that cause arthritis, with a focus on Chikungunya and related viruses.
-
Linking heavy metal exposure to a tougher breast cancer type (TNBC)
Aimed at understanding how heavy metals like cadmium might trigger a dangerous breast cancer type (TNBC) in people, especially those with BRCA1 risk, to identify possible future treatment strategies.
-
Cardiac safety of flavored e-cigarette aerosols in adults
A pharmacist or clinician would test how inhaling flavored e-cigarette aerosols affects heart rhythm in adults to see if flavors raise the risk of heart problems.
-
Biomedical Research Facilities to Expand Precision Medicine in Kentucky
A large NIH grant aims to renovate and expand a shared precision medicine center in Kentucky to speed up research that could improve health for people in Appalachia and surrounding areas.
-
Rac-enhanced CAR-Macrophages against TNBC
A new cell therapy approach uses engineered macrophages with a CAR and Rac2 activation to target and kill triple-negative breast cancer cells expressing CSPG4.
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.