The non-nucleoside antiviral, BAY 38-4766, protects against cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease and mortality in immunocompromised guinea pigs. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • New antiviral drugs are needed for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. These studies evaluated the in vitro and in vivo activity of the non-nucleosidic CMV inhibitor, BAY 38-4766, against guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV). Plaque reduction assays indicated that BAY 38-4766 was active against GPCMV, with an IC(50) of 0.5muM. Yield reduction assays demonstrated an ED(90) and ED(99) of 0.4 and 0.6muM, respectively, of BAY 38-4766 against GPCMV. Guinea pigs tolerated oral administration of 50mg/kg/day of BAY 38-4766 without evidence of biochemical or hematologic toxicity. Plasma concentrations of BAY 38-4766 were high following oral dosing, with a mean peak level at 1-h post-dose of 26.7mg/ml (n=6; range, 17.8-35.4). Treatment with BAY 38-4766 reduced both viremia and DNAemia, as determined by a real-time PCR assay, following GPCMV infection of cyclophosphamide-immunosuppressed strain 2 guinea pigs (p<0.05, Mann-Whitney test). BAY 38-4766 also reduced mortality following lethal GPCMV challenge in immunosuppressed Hartley guinea pigs, from 83% (20/24) in placebo-treated guinea pigs, to 17% (4/24) in BAY 38-4766-treated animals (p<0.0001, Fisher's exact test). Mortality differences were accompanied by reduction in DNAemia in Hartley guinea pigs. Based upon its favorable safety, pharmacokinetic, and therapeutic profiles, BAY 38-4766 warrants further investigation in the GPCMV model.

published proceedings

  • Antiviral Res

author list (cited authors)

  • Schleiss, M. R., Bernstein, D. I., McVoy, M. A., Stroup, G., Bravo, F., Creasy, B., ... Hallenberger, S.

citation count

  • 33

complete list of authors

  • Schleiss, Mark R||Bernstein, David I||McVoy, Michael A||Stroup, Greg||Bravo, Fernando||Creasy, Blaine||McGregor, Alistair||Henninger, Kristin||Hallenberger, Sabine

publication date

  • January 2005