title: Efficacy of Favipiravir (T-705) in Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis.
abstract: Rabies is a fatal encephalitis caused by rabies virus (RABV), and no antiviral drugs for RABV are currently available. We report for the first time the efficacy of favipiravir (T-705) against RABV in vitro and in vivo. T-705 produced a significant, 3-4 log10 reduction in the multiplication of street and fixed RABV strains in mouse neuroblastoma Neuro-2a cells, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of 32.4 µM and 44.3 µM, respectively. T-705 significantly improved morbidity and mortality among RABV-infected mice when orally administered at a dose of 300 mg/kg/day for 7 days, beginning 1 hour after inoculation. T-705 significantly reduced the rate of virus positivity in the brain. Furthermore, the effectiveness of T-705 was comparable to that of equine rabies virus immunoglobulin for postexposure prophylaxis. Collectively, our results suggest that T-705 is active against RABV and may serve as a potential alternative to rabies immunoglobulin in rabies postexposure prophylaxis.
authors.affiliation: Research Promotion Institute.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu City Department of Food Science and Technology, Minami Kyushu University, Miyazaki City.
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratories, Toyama Chemical, Toyama City, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Komeno
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratories, Toyama Chemical, Toyama City, Japan.
authors.forename: Yousuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furuta
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu City.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishizono
mesh_terms: D000577:Amides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002460:Cell Line; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051379:Mice; D056990:Post-Exposure Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011818:Rabies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D011719:Pyrazines; C462182:favipiravir
keywords: T-705; antiviral drug; postexposure prophylaxis; rabies