title: Alphavirus antiviral drug development: scientific gap analysis and prospective research areas.
abstract: The New World alphaviruses Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), and western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) pose a significant threat to human health as the etiological agents of serious viral encephalitis through natural infection as well as through their potential use as a biological weapon. At present, there is no FDA-approved medical treatment for infection with these viruses. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (DTRA/JSTO), is currently funding research aimed at developing antiviral drugs and vaccines against VEEV, EEEV, and WEEV. A review of antiviral drug discovery efforts for these viruses revealed significant gaps in the data, assays, and models required for successful drug development. This review provides a description of these gaps and highlights specific critical research areas for the development of a target-based drug discovery program for the VEEV, EEEV, and WEEV nonstructural proteins. These efforts will increase the probability of the successful development of a pharmaceutical intervention against these viral threat agents.
authors.affiliation: Biological Therapeutics, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060-6201, USA.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reichert
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clase
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacetty
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D000524:Alphavirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000600:supply & distribution; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012107:Research Design
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents