title: Efficacy of Favipiravir Alone and in Combination With Ribavirin in a Lethal, Immunocompetent Mouse Model of Lassa Fever.
abstract: We studied the therapeutic potential of favipiravir (T-705) for Lassa fever, both alone and in combination with ribavirin. Favipiravir suppressed Lassa virus replication in cell culture by 5 log10 units. In a novel lethal mouse model, it lowered the viremia level and the virus load in organs and normalized levels of cell-damage markers. Treatment with 300 mg/kg per day, commenced 4 days after infection, when the viremia level had reached 4 log10 virus particles/mL, rescued 100% of Lassa virus-infected mice. We found a synergistic interaction between favipiravir and ribavirin in vitro and an increased survival rate and extended survival time when combining suboptimal doses in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oestereich
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg.
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rieger
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg Heinrich Pette Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lüdtke
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg Heinrich Pette Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruibal
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wurr
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pallasch
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bockholt
authors.affiliation: Institute for Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krasemann
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg Heinrich Pette Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology.
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Fontela
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Günther
mesh_terms: D000577:Amides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D007835:Lassa Fever / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014709:Vero Cells; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D011719:Pyrazines; D012254:Ribavirin; C462182:favipiravir
keywords: Lassa fever; drug interaction; favipiravir; mouse model; ribavirin