Scientists in Lausanne have developed an innovative antiviral treatment, still in the experimental stage, capable of inhibiting the action of a wide range of respiratory viruses, including influenza and bronchiolitis. Published in "Science Advances", the study opens up promising therapeutic avenues.
A major gap in the therapeutic arsenal is a broad-spectrum antiviral treatment against respiratory viruses - influenza, bronchiolitis, COVID-19 - which cause millions of hospital admissions every year, especially among children and the elderly. Now, Valeria Cagno’s laboratory at the CHUV-UNIL Institute of Microbiology has achieved a major breakthrough in this field, unveiled in Science Advances: it has developed an innovative compound, using cellular biology mechanisms, to block the action of many respiratory viruses.
Lark’s mirror for viruses
Viruses are masters in the art of lock-picking: for example, they use sugars on the cell surface, such as heparan sulfate and sialic acid, to bind to them and thus penetrate the cell, initiating the infection. the molecule we have synthesized acts as a decoy," explains Grégory Mathez, first author of the study. It mimics these sugars, attracts the viruses, attaches itself to them and destroys them."
The method, which focuses on inhibitors of viral binding, is not exactly new: Valeria Cagno, recipient of an SNSF Ambizione grant, has been working on it for many years. the real novelty lies in the field of action of the compound used," explains the researcher. What you need to know is that viruses use different routes of entry: some bind to heparan sulfate - such as the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), responsible for bronchiolitis, and SARS-CoV-2 - others bind to sialic acid, such as the influenza virus. Until now, we’ve targeted either one or the other. But our new compound, CD-SLNT/SO3-, co-developed with EFPL, targets both.
An extra cartridge against zoonoses
This stereoscopic vision results in a broad-spectrum antiviral treatment, effective against a wide range of respiratory viruses, including certain forms of avian flu. A potential first line of defence against pandemics.
So far, it has been successfully tested in animal models and, ex vivo, on human respiratory tissue. "The virucidal effect has been demonstrated, with the treatment acting as soon as the virus enters the body, considerably reducing infection, without the need for any further treatment.the virucidal effect has been demonstrated, and the treatment acts as soon as the virus enters the body, considerably reducing infection, without any toxicity being observed", notes Grégory Mathez.
A patent has already been filed. All that remains is to improve the molecule’s structure and purify it, before it can be considered for clinical trials. But it looks promising. The icing on the cake is that the treatment should be easy to administer: based on EFPL’s experience with a similar compound, scientists believe that it could eventually be formulated as an inhalable powder, to treat or even prevent infections.
Mathez, G., Silva, P. J., Carlen, V., et al, A pan-respiratory virus attachment inhibitor with high potency in human airway models and in vivo, Science Advances (2025), doi:10.1126/sciadv.adv9311
