African swine fever outbreak containment strategy using small-molecule antiviral drugs

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African swine fever (ASF) is a frequently fatal disease of pigs with a very high socio-economic impact. The disease represents an increasing risk to the UK, EU and global pig industries due to its dramatic and increasing spread in a number of countries in the Trans Caucasus, Russian Federation and Eastern Europe, including EU member states and most recently China. The UK pig industry is valued at around £1 billion per year and represents 40% of the red meat market (Defra, 2008-2009; AHDB, 2014). Exports, currently valued at about £300 million, would be halted if ASF entered the UK.ASF control relies on rapid diagnosis and implementation of quarantine, movement restrictions and stamping out policies. These measures have a high impact on the livelihoods of farmers and others involved in the pork industry and a severe effect on animal welfare. Several factors contribute to the difficulty in controlling ASF. Amongst these is the lack of a vaccine and presence of wild pig reservoirs of infection.In this project we will tackle this emerging infectious disease of wild and domestic pigs by optimising small-molecule, antiviral lead compounds that specifically inhibit the replication the ASF virus (ASFV). We have already identified a class of molecules with potent anti-ASFV activity. Apart from elucidating their exact mechanism of action, the identified lead molecules will be optimised to increase (i) pan-genotype activity using a reference panel of ASFV isolates from 14 genotypes, (ii) selectivity and (iii) oral bio-availability prior to safety and efficacy testing in pigs. Once optimised, such antiviral drugs can be deployed quickly (e.g. following stockpiling) in case of an ASF incursion into a previously-free area by administering the drug as a prophylactic and metaphylactic measure to pigs in protection zones around infected premises.Previous research on classical swine fever (CSF), another epizootic disease of pigs, has demonstrated that antiviral drugs are a valid supplement and/or alternative to emergency vaccination and stamping-out/pre-emptive culling from an epidemiological and economic point of view. Indeed, it has been shown that an antiviral drug administered to CSF-infected pigs (i) reduces the viral titre by a 1000-fold, (ii) shortens the period virus is detected in blood by 74% and (iii) reduces transmission from infected/treated pigs to untreated sentinel pigs by 85% (Vrancken et al., 2009a; 2009b). The proposed antiviral containment strategy for CSF was further validated using epidemiological modelling studies conducted in two pig-dense areas in the EU (Ribbens et al., 2012; Backer et al., 2013). CSF outbreaks were controlled at least as effectively with antiviral drugs as with more conventional strategies such as pre-emptive culling and emergency vaccination.Although none have been registered for use in livestock, the merits of small-molecule, antiviral drugs are well established in human medicine against infectious diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis C, for which no vaccines are available. This is the first project to bring together a high-quality research organisation and a biotech company that combined have the technical skills, know-how and expertise to successfully introduce the use of antiviral drugs as an effective approach to ASF control. The academic-industry partnership will advance our understanding of how ASFV replicates including the role(s) of certain virus and/or cellular proteins by elucidating the mechanism of virus inhibition. These insights will help advance the rational development of complementary ASFV vaccine candidates and will help understand how to effectively combine an antiviral drug containment strategy with vaccination using a live-attenuated vaccine.