Progress toward a broad-spectrum antiviral
September 9, 2025
Progress toward a broad-spectrum antiviral
At a Glance
- Small molecules that bind to carbohydrates on viral surfaces blocked infections of cells and mice by a wide range of viruses.
- The findings suggest it may be possible to develop a broad-spectrum antiviral drug to combat serious viral infections.
Broad-spectrum antibiotics can combat a wide range of bacteria that cause infections in various parts of the body. They work by hitting essential targets that are common to many different infectious bacteria. But there hasn鈥檛 been a similar broad-spectrum treatment against viruses that鈥檚 approved for human use.
One reason researchers have struggled to develop a broad-spectrum antiviral is that the proteins on the surface of viruses vary so much. They also tend to change rapidly over time. As a result, existing antiviral medicines remain limited and work only against a few, very specific viral infections.
In a new study, researchers led by Drs. Adam Braunschweig of the City University of New York and Hector Aguilar-Carreno of the University of California, Los Angeles, explored the idea of developing a broad-spectrum antiviral. They focused on small molecules called synthetic carbohydrate receptors (SCRs), which bind carbohydrates. Many viruses, including those likely to cause serious illnesses and future pandemics, have carbohydrates called glycans attached to their surfaces. Earlier studies suggested that SCRs could bind carbohydrates on certain viruses. They might thus hold promise as antiviral medicines.
To see whether SCRs might work more broadly, the researchers tested a set of 57 different SCRs against six deadly viruses representing three distinct viral families. These included SARS-CoV-1 and 2, MERS-CoV, Nipah, Hendra, and Ebola viruses. The findings appeared in Science Advances on August 27, 2025.
The researchers found that several SCRs blocked cells in the lab from being infected by all six viruses. Four of the SCRs looked especially promising for preventing all viral infections tested.
Further studies of two of these SCRs delivered into the noses of mice showed that they offered protection against COVID-19. For one of the SCRs, about 90% of treated mice survived for at least two weeks compared to none in the control group. The antiviral compound worked after a single dose and, importantly, without any signs of toxicity.
The team next studied how the SCRs worked. They confirmed that the antiviral compounds bind viral glycans, as expected. This in turn prevents viruses either from attaching to host cells or from completing later steps in infection.
The findings suggest that it may be possible to devise broad-spectrum antiviral drugs by targeting viral glycans instead of proteins. Such drugs might not only treat existing viral infections but could also be used to prevent infections as new viral threats emerge. The researchers now plan to test the safety and effectiveness of SCRs at preventing viral infections and transmission in animals and people.
鈥淭his is the kind of antiviral tool the world urgently needs,鈥 Braunschweig says. 鈥淚f a new virus emerges tomorrow, we currently have nothing to deploy. These compounds offer the potential to be that first line of defense.鈥
鈥攂y Kendall K. Morgan, Ph.D.
Related Links
- Antiviral Drug Shows Promise Against COVID-19 and RSV
- Early Results Show Benefit of Remdesivir for COVID-19
- Oral Antiviral Drug Effective Against COVID-19 in Hamsters
- Computer-Designed Proteins May Protect Against Coronavirus
- SARS-CoV-2 May Use Key Carbohydrate to Infect Cells
- Progress Toward Universal Vaccines
References
. Ezzatpour S, Thakur K, Erzoah Ndede K, Buchholz DW, Choi A, Imbiakha B, Carter J, Onofrei D, Eaton B, Postnikova E, Murphy M, Tapia BC, Bello D, Pasari S, Russo A, Babayev M, Holland GP, Holbrook MR, Caddy SL, Moran SJ, Davachi SM, Monreal IA, Sahler J, Ortega V, Miranda JM, Whittaker GR, Jager MC, Bhagwat SK, Chopra P, Jan-Boons G, Marianski M, Braunschweig AB, Aguilar HC. Science Advances. 2025 Aug 29;11(35):eady3554. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ady3554. Epub 2025 Aug 27. PMID: 40864723.
Funding
51视频鈥檚 National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Army Research Office; New York State Biodefense Commercialization Fund; Department of Defense Air Force Office of Scientific Research; COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium.