Broad-Spectrum Therapeutics for Influenza

描述（由申请人提供）：流感是一种高度传染性的急性呼吸道疾病，自古以来一直困扰着人类。它的特点是每年反复流行和周期性的世界性大流行。由于与疾病相关的高发病率和死亡率，流感的直接和间接社会和经济影响是巨大的。过去，流感大流行每20-25年发生一次。自从上一次以来已经有大约三十年了。一场新的大流行病被认为迫在眉睫，是当今国内和国际公共卫生系统面临的最大挑战之一。随着最近的技术进步，生物恐怖分子也有可能比病毒的自然进化更快地创造出潜在的大流行病毒株。目前可用的流感疫苗和抗病毒化合物不能充分解决这些威胁。因此，迫切需要用于流感的广谱治疗剂/药物。这项资助申请的主要目的是创造一类新型融合蛋白，能够阻断所有流感病毒株（包括大流行病毒株）的感染。它不需要每年更新，因此可以随时制作，并在自然流行病或生物战开始时提供。这类新的流感治疗剂/抗病毒剂还将克服与当前抗病毒化合物相关的副作用和产生耐药性病毒的风险。最后，新类别的治疗剂/抗炎药将作为鼻喷雾剂/吸入剂局部和局部递送，并且预计对人类是安全的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Influenza is a highly infectious acute respiratory disease that has plagued the human race since ancient times. It is characterized by recurrent annual epidemics and periodic major worldwide pandemics. Because of the high disease-related morbidity and mortality, direct and indirect social and economic impacts of influenza are enormous. In the past, influenza pandemics occurred every 20-25 years. It has been about thirty years since the last one. A new pandemic is considered imminent and one of the biggest challenges facing the public health systems today nationally and internationally. With recent technical progress, it has also become possible for bio-terrorists to create potential pandemic viral strains faster than natural evolution of the viruses. These threats cannot be sufficiently addressed by the currently available influenza vaccines and antiviral compounds. Therefore, a broad-spectrum therapeutics/prophylactics for influenza is critically needed. The main objective of this grant application is to create a novel class of fusion proteins capable of blocking infections by all strains of influenza viruses including pandemic viral strains. It does not need to be updated yearly and therefore can be produced readily and be available at the onset of a natural pandemic or bio-warfare. This new class of influenza therapeutics/prophylactics will also overcome the side effects and the risk of generating drug-resistant viruses associated with the current antiviral compounds. Finally, the new class of therapeutics/prophylactics will be delivered locally and topically as a nasal spray/inhalant and is expected to be safe for humans.