Epstein-Barr virus usually lurks silently with out triggering any signs, however the ubiquitous pathogen is in every single place. A rising mountain of proof has proven that it infects greater than 90% of the world inhabitants and could also be a catalyst for a number of severe illnesses, together with a number of sclerosis, lengthy COVID and several types of cancers.
A part of the rationale EBV is so prevalent is that after the an infection clears, the virus stays, slumbering inside reminiscence B-immune cells.
“When you’re contaminated, it lives in your physique. You by no means do away with it,” mentioned Dr. Andreas Muehler, chief medical officer at Immunic Therapeutics. “And that makes it harmful as a result of you may have this smoldering an infection in you, simply ready for a chance to flee.”
Many research have revealed hyperlinks between EBV and circumstances like MS, an autoimmune illness affecting the mind and spinal wire. EBV can be suspected to play a job in autoimmune illnesses equivalent to Lupus, however it’s troublesome to show the connection, Muehler mentioned.
Nonetheless, unanswered questions linger within the area. Why, for instance, do solely sure folks get post-infection circumstances when just about everyone seems to be contaminated?
Now, efforts to raised perceive EBV and make headway in opposition to the virus in pharma are ramping up. Corporations equivalent to Calder Biosciences and Moderna are advancing EBV vaccine candidates and hoping to beat the scientific challenges that derailed previous makes an attempt to search out an efficient shot.
WestGene Biopharma lately gained an IND approval for its investigational mRNA vaccine focusing on EBV-positive cancers, clearing it for section 1. Different firms, equivalent to Atara Biotherapeutics and Viracta Therapeutics are specializing in therapies for EBV-linked illnesses, equivalent to post-transplant lymphoproliferative illness, a blood most cancers that may come up after a transplant and EBV-positive lymphoma.
And Immunic is testing a small molecule drug, vidofludimus calcium, which is designed to scale back irritation and defend mind neurons whereas blocking EBV replication, Muehler mentioned. Individuals who’ve been contaminated with EBV have 32 instances the danger of creating MS and there’s some proof that virus reactivations could spur illness development, he mentioned.
Vidofludimus calcium is now in a number of mid- and late-stage trials for relapsing and progressive MS. An interim section 3 evaluation of vidofludimus calcium revealed some constructive outcomes, and the corporate plans to launch extra section 2 information in April 2025.
“If this information set continues to point out a neuroprotective impact for vidofludimus calcium, we imagine our drug could also be positioned as a first-in-class oral remedy possibility for progressive MS, a type of MS with highest unmet medical want,” Daniel Vitt, CEO of Immunic, mentioned in a written launch.
Specifically, vidofludimus calcium may ease the debilitating fatigue that always plagues MS sufferers.
Fatigue is a typical denominator in circumstances linked to EBV, and can be an indicator of some lengthy COVID instances that present proof of EBV reactivation, Muehler mentioned. One examine discovered EBV reactivation in 50% of lengthy COVID sufferers with fatigue, in contrast with solely 20% of these with out.
This hyperlink is why an investigator-sponsored trial in Germany is now testing vidofludimus calcium as an extended COVID remedy.
“There stays an pressing want for the remedy of Publish COVID Syndrome and its associated signs,” Dr. Maria Vehreschild, head of the Division of Infectious Ailments on the College Hospital Frankfurt and principal investigator for the RAPID_REVIVE trial, mentioned in a launch. “Vidofludimus calcium is a perfect candidate for our trial, as a result of its confirmed antiviral and anti inflammatory results, in addition to its potential means to forestall EBV reactivation and scale back fatigue. We sit up for additional enrolling sufferers on this trial.”
