Peptide Compositions and methods of use thereof
Tulane researchers have developed novel broad-spectrum antiviral peptides (5-34 amino acids) that demonstrate efficacy against multiple viral families including dengue, herpes simplex, influenza, and adenovirus. These engineered peptides exhibit low cytotoxicity, stability in serum, and work by disrupting viral entry and fusion mechanisms, reducing the likelihood of viral resistance compared to traditional antivirals.
The Problem
Viral diseases continue overwhelming healthcare systems globally, but existing antiviral drugs face critical limitations including narrow strain-specific targeting, high cytotoxicity, serum instability, and declining efficacy due to viral mutations and resistance. Traditional broad-spectrum antivirals like Ribavirin cause dose-limiting toxicity, while many therapeutics lose potency in high-serum environments, creating urgent need for safer, more versatile antiviral approaches.
The Solution
These antiviral peptides incorporate two key consensus sequences with at least 75% sequence identity to reference sequences, maintaining activity through engineered structure and hydrophobic regions. Unlike drugs targeting specific viral replication steps, these peptides block viral fusion and induce virus aggregation without interfering with virus-cell binding. They demonstrate potent activity at lower cytotoxic levels, retain stability in serum, and can be produced through both chemical synthesis and recombinant methods for cost-effective scalability.
The Opportunity
The technology addresses the $72.84 billion antiviral drugs market with applications in pharmaceutical therapies for human viral infections and veterinary therapeutics. The peptides' broad-spectrum efficacy, favorable safety profile, and compatibility with combination therapies (e.g., interferons) offer advantages over narrow-spectrum drugs and complex biologics like monoclonal antibodies. With increasing prevalence of viral diseases and growing demand for effective treatments beyond COVID-19, these peptides provide a versatile platform for addressing multiple viral threats across human and animal health markets.
