Researchers at Boston University have discovered compounds that inhibit monkeypox virus replication!

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease (a virus transmitted from animals to humans) with symptoms similar to those of smallpox patients, but less clinically severe
.
With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and the subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, monkeypox was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization
.

Now, researchers from Boston University's Jobanian and Arviddison School of Medicine have developed a new compound that could soon be used to protect against all tested poxviruses
that cause human disease.

The pox virus other than smallpox continues to circulate worldwide, where
immunity has declined after the almost universal cessation of vaccination.
Dr John Connor, corresponding author and associate professor of microbiology, said: "Monkeypox is particularly noteworthy, with recent cases highlighting the global threat
posed by this virus.
"With more than 44,000 monkeypox cases reported worldwide (more than 10,000 in the United States alone), the use of FDA-approved smallpox antivirals to treat human monkeypox cases may play an important role
in controlling outbreaks.
"

Connor's research builds on the early discoveries he and his team led with a team led by Dr.
Scott Schaus, Ph.
D.
, a professor
of chemistry at Boston University's College of Arts and Sciences and Center for Molecular Discovery (BU-cmd).
In 2011, the teams discovered a compound that inhibits multiple pox viruses (vaccinia, monkeypox, vaccinia).

During this time, they made more compounds, some of which were more potent
than the original inhibitors.
They then worked with the Centers for Disease Control to demonstrate that their compound inhibited smallpox virus replication
.

Connor said the findings highlight the promise of a new class of antipox drugs, which are broad-spectrum small molecules with great potential
to develop antiviral treatments.
"This will add a small molecule therapy for the treatment of transmitted diseases, including monkeypox and vaccinia viruses, which also promises efficacy against smallpox," added Connor, who is also a researcher
at Boston University's National Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Lead author Dr Lauren Brown said: "For disease-causing pathogens, it is always important to have a diverse toolbox of treatments available to combat the evolutionary ability of pathogens to evade our best interventions
.
" Dr.
Lauren Brown is a research associate professor
of organic and medicinal chemistry in the School of Arts and Sciences at Boston University.
"Our hope is that our work will lead to a new, safe antiviral therapy that adds new drugs
to the extremely limited existing drug arsenal for patients with poxvirus disease.
"