Ebola Virus Infection: Review of the Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Properties of Drugs Considered for Testing in Human Efficacy Trials
- 31 July 2016
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Clinical Pharmacokinetics
- Vol. 55 (8), 907-923
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s40262-015-0364-1
Abstract
The 2014-2015 outbreak of Ebola virus disease is the largest epidemic to date in terms of the number of cases, deaths, and affected areas. In October 2015, no antiviral agents had proven antiviral efficacy in patients. However, in September 2014, the World Health Organization inventoried and has since regularly updated a list of potential drug candidates with demonstrated antiviral efficacy in in vitro or animal models. This includes agents belonging to various therapeutic classes, namely direct antiviral agents (favipiravir and BCX4430), a combination of antibodies (ZMapp), type I interferons, RNA interference-based drugs (TKM-Ebola and AVI-7537), and anticoagulant drugs (rNAPc2). Here, we review the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic information presently available for these drugs, using data obtained in healthy volunteers for pharmacokinetics and data obtained in human clinical trials or animal models for pharmacodynamics. Future studies evaluating these drugs in clinical trials are critical to confirm their efficacy in humans, propose appropriate doses, and evaluate the possibility of treatment combinations.Funding Information
- EU Horizon 2020 (666092, 666100)
This publication has 81 references indexed in Scilit:
- Delayed treatment of Ebola virus infection with plant-derived monoclonal antibodies provides protection in rhesus macaquesProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2012
- Enhanced potency of a fucose-free monoclonal antibody being developed as an Ebola virus immunoprotectantProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2011
- Small molecule inhibitors reveal Niemann–Pick C1 is essential for Ebola virus infectionNature, 2011
- Ebola haemorrhagic feverThe Lancet, 2011
- Proposal for a revised taxonomy of the family Filoviridae: classification, names of taxa and viruses, and virus abbreviationsArchiv für die gesamte Virusforschung, 2010
- Antiviral Activity of a Small-Molecule Inhibitor of Filovirus InfectionAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2010
- A broad-spectrum antiviral targeting entry of enveloped virusesProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2010
- Evasion of Interferon Responses by Ebola and Marburg VirusesJournal of Interferon & Cytokine Research, 2009
- The promises and pitfalls of RNA-interference-based therapeuticsNature, 2009
- Mini ReviewHuman Interferons Alpha, Beta and OmegaGrowth Factors, 2004