title: Iota-carrageenan is a potent inhibitor of influenza A virus infection.
abstract: The 2009 flu pandemic and the appearance of oseltamivir-resistant H1N1 influenza strains highlight the need for treatment alternatives. One such option is the creation of a protective physical barrier in the nasal cavity. In vitro tests demonstrated that iota-carrageenan is a potent inhibitor of influenza A virus infection, most importantly also of pandemic H1N1/2009 in vitro. Consequently, we tested a commercially available nasal spray containing iota-carrageenan in an influenza A mouse infection model. Treatment of mice infected with a lethal dose of influenza A PR8/34 H1N1 virus with iota-carrageenan starting up to 48 hours post infection resulted in a strong protection of mice similar to mice treated with oseltamivir. Since alternative treatment options for influenza are rare, we conclude that the nasal spray containing iota-carrageenan is an alternative to neuraminidase inhibitors and should be tested for prevention and treatment of influenza A in clinical trials in humans.
authors.affiliation: Marinomed Biotechnologie GmbH, Vienna, Austria. andreas.leibbrandt@marinomed.com
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leibbrandt
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: Marielle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: König-Schuster
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weinmüllner
authors.forename: Donata
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalthoff
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pflugfelder
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Frank-Gehrke
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.forename: Tamas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fazekas
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Unger
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prieschl-Grassauer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grassauer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000494:pharmacology; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011108:Polymers; D011134:Polysaccharides; D053139:Oseltamivir; D002351:Carrageenan; D009439:Neuraminidase