UF scientists join European effort to develop antiviral drugs for future pandemics
Scientists in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy have joined a European research network that aims to develop broad-spectrum antiviral drugs to combat the next global pandemic.
Hendrik Luesch, Ph.D., a professor and chair of medicinal chemistry and the Debbie and Sylvia DeSantis Chair in Natural Products Drug Discovery and Development in the UF College of Pharmacy, is a co-principal investigator in the newly established VIGILANT research network. The program brings together experts in biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, virology and molecular and cell biology to develop compounds with broad antiviral activity that could limit the spread of a virus in the early stages of a pandemic.
“Vaccines are an essential part of the fight against pandemics, but they are only available months after an outbreak,” Luesch said. “Instead of playing catch-up and developing antivirals and vaccines against the specific virus once the genomic sequence becomes available, we aim to develop host-directed therapeutics that can be effective against any emerging virus on day one of a pandemic. These agents target human proteins essential for virus replication and are hijacked by viruses.”