Measles Now Has a Drug - NV-387 Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Successful in Animal Studies, says NanoViricides

Rhea-AI Summary

NanoViricides (NYSE Amer: NNVC) has achieved a significant breakthrough in developing NV-387, potentially the first-ever drug treatment for Measles. In a humanized animal model study, NV-387 demonstrated strong effectiveness, increasing survival time by 130% (17 days vs. 7.4 days in untreated animals) with no toxicity signs.

The broad-spectrum antiviral drug works by acting as a cell decoy, targeting 90-95% of human pathogenic viruses that require sulfated proteoglycan features. The study utilized specially modified mice bearing the human CD150/SLAM protein, necessary for measles infection. This development is particularly significant as global measles cases rise and vaccination rates decline, especially in industrialized nations.

Positive

• NV-387 increased survival time by 130% in animal studies
• Drug showed no signs of toxicity in testing
• Demonstrated dose-dependent increase in survival
• Technology potentially effective against 90-95% of human pathogenic viruses
• Could become first-ever drug treatment for measles

Negative

• Still in early clinical stages, requiring extensive further testing
• No human trial data available yet
• Timeline for IND filing remains uncertain
• Dependent on external collaborators and consultants for development

Insights

Biotechnology Research Scientist

NanoViricides' NV-387 shows promising results against measles in animal studies, potentially becoming the first treatment for this resurging disease.

NanoViricides has achieved a significant milestone with their broad-spectrum antiviral candidate NV-387, demonstrating impressive efficacy against measles virus in a humanized animal model. The data shows NV-387 increased survival time by 130% (from 7.4 days to 17 days) in treated animals compared to controls, with no observable toxicity and dose-dependent effectiveness.

The technology behind NV-387 is particularly noteworthy - it functions as a cellular decoy, presenting the sulfated proteoglycan features that 90-95% of human pathogenic viruses require for binding. Upon viral attachment, the drug destroys the virus particle before it can infect cells. This mechanism represents an innovative approach to antiviral therapy that viruses would find difficult to evade through mutation.

What makes these results particularly significant is that measles currently has no approved drug treatment. While vaccination remains the primary preventive measure, achieving the required 95% population coverage is increasingly challenging due to vaccine hesitancy and immunocompromised individuals who cannot be vaccinated effectively. The company correctly identifies that approximately 5% of vaccinated individuals can still contract measles if exposed.

The company's strategy of testing NV-387 against measles was based on its previous success against RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), leveraging the biological similarity between these paramyxoviruses. Both pathogens utilize heparan sulfate proteoglycan for initial cellular attachment, though their infection mechanisms differ significantly thereafter.

NV-387 is already in clinical development for other respiratory viruses including RSV, COVID-19, and influenza, suggesting the company is pursuing a broad-spectrum approach that could address multiple viral threats with a single therapeutic platform. This potential for multi-virus coverage enhances the drug candidate's overall value proposition in the infectious disease market.

SHELTON, CT / ACCESS Newswire / July 21, 2025 / NanoViricides, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE Amer.: NNVC ) (the "Company"), and a clinical stage, leading global pioneer in the development of broad-spectrum antivirals based on host-mimetic nanomedicine technology that viruses cannot escape, announced that it has achieved significant success in developing a drug against Measles.

Strong antiviral effectiveness against Measles virus was found for NV-387, the Company's broad-spectrum drug candidate, in a humanized animal model study.

"NV-387 is on its way to become the very first drug to treat Measles," said Anil R. Diwan, PhD, adding, "Measles cases are skyrocketing globally, and the world needs a drug."

In a lethal animal model of respiratory infection with Measles virus, NV-387 increased survival of animals to 17 days on average compared to 7.4 days in untreated animals, an increase of 130%. There were no signs of toxicity from the drug NV-387. Additionally, dose-dependent increase in survival was observed.

NV-387 is a clinical stage broad-spectrum antiviral drug that is designed to act as a decoy of a cell, attacking the virus by presenting to it the very features that the virus requires for binding to the cell, and upon binding, destroying the virus particle so it cannot infect. Over 90-95% of human pathogenic viruses require the sulfated proteoglycan feature that NV-387 presents to the virus.

The Company has conducted an animal trial to evaluate certain drug candidates in a lethal animal infection model of measles virus. The Company secured specially modified mice that bear the human form of CD150/SLAM protein that the Measles virus requires to enter cells for this study. Measles does not infect mice natively, so humanized mice were required for this study.

The Company hypothesized that NV-387 could be effective against Measles because NV-387 was previously found to completely cure RSV lung infection in a lethal animal model. Both RSV and Measles virus belong to paramyxoviruses family. Additionally, both viruses are known to use heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) as the initial attachment point before causing cellular infection. However, the mode of actual infection between these viruses differs drastically. RSV primarily infects lung epithelial cells, whereas Measles virus infects h-CD150 bearing immune system cells. The animal study validated the Company's hypothesis.

To prevent outbreaks, Measles vaccination requires at least 95% coverage of population. At least 5% of vaccinated persons can still get the Measles disease if infected. Given that the percentage of population that would not benefit from vaccination continues to increase, due to chronic diseases and immunological deficiencies, and in light of vaccine hesitancy, it is unlikely that the 95% rate can be met globally. In fact, vaccination rates continue to decline especially in the industrialized world. Additionally, vaccine does not help a person who has the disease. Thus, a treatment for measles is of paramount importance.

ABOUT NANOVIRICIDES

NanoViricides, Inc. (the "Company") ( www.nanoviricides.com ) is a publicly traded (NYSE-American, stock symbol NNVC) clinical stage company that is creating special purpose nanomaterials for antiviral therapy. The Company's novel nanoviricide™ class of drug candidates and the nanoviricide™ technology are based on intellectual property, technology and proprietary know-how of TheraCour Pharma, Inc. The Company has a Memorandum of Understanding with TheraCour for the development of drugs based on these technologies for all antiviral infections. The MoU does not include cancer and similar diseases that may have viral origin but require different kinds of treatments.

The Company has obtained broad, exclusive, sub-licensable, field licenses to drugs developed in several licensed fields from TheraCour Pharma, Inc. The Company's business model is based on licensing technology from TheraCour Pharma Inc. for specific application verticals of specific viruses, as established at its foundation in 2005.

Our lead drug candidate is NV-387, a broad-spectrum antiviral drug that we plan to develop as a treatment of RSV, COVID, Long COVID, Influenza, and other respiratory viral infections, as well as MPOX/Smallpox infections. Our other advanced drug candidate is NV-HHV-1 for the treatment of Shingles. The Company cannot project an exact date for filing an IND for any of its drugs because of dependence on a number of external collaborators and consultants. The Company is currently focused on advancing NV-387 into Phase II human clinical trials.

The Company is also developing drugs against a number of viral diseases including oral and genital Herpes, viral diseases of the eye including EKC and herpes keratitis, H1N1 swine flu, H5N1 bird flu, seasonal Influenza, HIV, Hepatitis C, Rabies, Dengue fever, and Ebola virus, among others. NanoViricides' platform technology and programs are based on the TheraCour® nanomedicine technology of TheraCour, which TheraCour licenses from AllExcel. NanoViricides holds a worldwide exclusive perpetual license to this technology for several drugs with specific targeting mechanisms in perpetuity for the treatment of the following human viral diseases: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Rabies, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2), Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV), Influenza and Asian Bird Flu Virus, Dengue viruses, Japanese Encephalitis virus, West Nile Virus, Ebola/Marburg viruses, and certain Coronaviruses. The Company intends to obtain a license for RSV, Poxviruses, and/or Enteroviruses if the initial research is successful. As is customary, the Company must state the risk factor that the path to typical drug development of any pharmaceutical product is extremely lengthy and requires substantial capital. As with any drug development efforts by any company, there can be no assurance at this time that any of the Company's pharmaceutical candidates would show sufficient effectiveness and safety for human clinical development. Further, there can be no assurance at this time that successful results against coronavirus in our lab will lead to successful clinical trials or a successful pharmaceutical product.

This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectation regarding future events. Actual events could differ materially and substantially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors. Certain statements in this release, and other written or oral statements made by NanoViricides, Inc. are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company's expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors that are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in documents filed by the company from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities. Although it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors, they may include the following: demonstration and proof of principle in preclinical trials that a nanoviricide is safe and effective; successful development of our product candidates; our ability to seek and obtain regulatory approvals, including with respect to the indications we are seeking; the successful commercialization of our product candidates; and market acceptance of our products.

The phrases "safety", "effectiveness" and equivalent phrases as used in this press release refer to research findings including clinical trials as the customary research usage and do not indicate evaluation of safety or effectiveness by the US FDA.

FDA refers to US Food and Drug Administration. IND application refers to "Investigational New Drug" application. cGMP refers to current Good Manufacturing Practices. CMC refers to "Chemistry, Manufacture, and Controls". CHMP refers to the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which is the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) committee responsible for human medicines. API stands for "Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient". WHO is the World Health Organization. R&D refers to Research and Development.

Contact:
NanoViricides, Inc.
info@nanoviricides.com

Public Relations Contact:
ir@nanoviricides.com

SOURCE: NanoViricides, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

FAQ

What are the key results of NNVC's NV-387 measles drug trial?

In animal studies, NV-387 increased survival time to 17 days compared to 7.4 days in untreated animals, showing a 130% improvement with no toxicity signs.

How does NanoViricides' NV-387 drug work against measles?

NV-387 acts as a cell decoy, presenting features that the virus needs for cell binding. Upon binding, it destroys the virus particle, preventing infection. It targets the sulfated proteoglycan feature used by 90-95% of human pathogenic viruses.

What is the current development stage of NNVC's measles drug?

NV-387 is in the clinical stage of development, with successful animal trials completed. The company is working toward Phase II human clinical trials, though exact IND filing timeline is not specified.

Why is NanoViricides' measles drug development significant?

It could become the first-ever drug treatment for measles, addressing a critical need as global measles cases increase and vaccination rates decline, particularly in industrialized nations.

What other diseases can NanoViricides' NV-387 potentially treat?

Besides measles, NV-387 is being developed to treat RSV, COVID, Long COVID, Influenza, other respiratory viral infections, and MPOX/Smallpox infections.