title: An immunomodulating dipeptide, SCV-07, is a potential therapeutic for recurrent genital herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).
abstract: Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infections produce a recurrent disease state associated with susceptibility to other pathogens, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and cannot be cured by current therapeutic treatments. The HSV-2 epidemic must therefore be addressed by therapeutic strategies that reduce recurrent lesions and ideally lack the possibility for development of drug resistance. To this end, the therapeutic potential of SCV-07 (gamma-D-glutamyl-L-tryptophan), a synthetic dipeptide with potent immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activity, was studied in the guinea pig model of recurrent genital HSV-2. Initial evaluations showed that when delivered orally, but not subcutaneously, SCV-07 significantly reduced recurrent lesions. Oral dose ranging studies indicated that, of the tested amounts, 5microg/kg was optimal when delivered after an overnight fast. Interestingly, fasting induced a significant increase in recurrent lesions in vehicle-treated guinea pigs relative to non-fasted animals. Despite this increase, SCV-07 significantly reduced lesion formation in treated animals but showed no durability following cessation of treatment. In fact, this regimen of SCV-07 treatment produced statistically indistinguishable outcomes compared with those provided by topical aciclovir. These data illustrate that SCV-07 may provide an easily administered alternative or supplemental treatment option for genital HSV-2 recurrent disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tuthill
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pyles
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004151:Dipeptides; C470075:golotimod; D000212:Acyclovir