A Hunter College scientist and his team have made a breakthrough in the fight against viral diseases.
Their study, published in the journal Science Advances, offers a promising path toward the development of the world’s first broad-spectrum antiviral drug, which could be deployed against many deadly viruses, including future pandemic threats.
Principal Investigator Adam Braunschweig, a chemistry professor at Hunter, made the discovery with researchers at the Nanoscience Initiative at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center.
Unlike bacterial infections, which doctors often treat immediately with broad-spectrum antibiotics while they work to determine the specific bacteria, viral infections are treated with antivirals, which are narrowly targeted and effective against only a small set of related viruses.
“This lack of treatments can leave populations vulnerable for years, while vaccines and therapeutics are being developed,” said Braunschweig, a Nanoscience Initiative professor at the center.
Braunschweig’s team set out to address this global health challenge by targeting a shared feature found on the surface of many viruses: viral envelope glycans — sugar molecules that are structurally conserved across unrelated viral families. These widely shared molecules until now have remained an untapped target for antiviral drug development.
The researchers screened 57 synthetic carbohydrate receptors, which are small molecules designed to bind to viral glycans. They identified four lead compounds that successfully blocked infection from seven different viruses across five unrelated families, including some of the world’s most dangerous pathogens: Ebola, Marburg, Nipah, Hendra, SARS-CoV-1, and SARS-CoV-2.
In a critical test, one of the lead SCR compounds was used to treat mice infected with SARS-CoV-2. Ninety percent of the mice receiving the SCR survived, compared to none in the control group. Further analysis confirmed that the compounds work by binding to viral envelope glycans — a novel mechanism of action with potential applications not only for infectious diseases but also for cancer and immune disorders.
Synthetic carbohydrate receptors act as broad-spectrum antivirals by blocking virus binding and fusion.
“This is the kind of antiviral tool the world urgently needs,” said Braunschweig. “If a new virus emerges tomorrow, we currently have nothing to deploy. These compounds offer the potential to be that first line of defense.”
The next phase of the team’s research will focus on advancing the most promising compounds into clinical trials.
The work was supported by the Army Research Office, National Institutes of Health, New York State Biodefense Commercialization Fund, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium.
About the CUNY Graduate Center
The CUNY Graduate Center is a leader in public graduate education devoted to enhancing the public good through pioneering research, serious learning, and reasoned debate. The Graduate Center offers ambitious students nearly 50 doctoral and master’s programs of the highest caliber, taught by top faculty from throughout CUNY — the nation’s largest urban public university. Through its almost 40 centers, institutes, initiatives, and the Advanced Science Research Center, the Graduate Center influences public policy and discourse and shapes innovation. The Graduate Center’s extensive public programs make it a home for culture and conversation.
About the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center
The Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center is a world-leading center of scientific excellence that elevates STEM inquiry and education at CUNY and beyond. The CUNY ASRC’s research initiatives span five distinctive, but broadly interconnected disciplines: nanoscience, photonics, neuroscience, structural biology, and environmental sciences. The center promotes a collaborative, interdisciplinary research culture where renowned and emerging scientists advance their discoveries using state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge core facilities.
