J&J’s Early-Stage Compound Shows Promise Against Dengue Virus

Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson recently announced that an early-stage compound with a novel mechanism of action could potentially treat all dengue virus stereotypes. 

In collaboration with the KU Leuven Rega Institute and the KU Leuven Centre for Drug Design and Discovery (CD3), Janssen Pharmaceutical discovered the antiviral compound over years of research.

The pre-clinical data, published in Nature, showed that the compound prevents the interaction between two viral proteins, NS3 and NS4B, which play a vital role in the replication process of a virus.

Ultimately, the compound provides a period of protection against the dengue virus and stops its ability to reproduce. The compound was effective against dengue in a prophylactic setting and elicited a significant reduction in viral load at peak viremia in a therapeutic model. 

“This scientific breakthrough shows tremendous potential to treat and prevent all four dengue serotypes and help transform the world’s fight against this significant and growing public health threat,” Paul Stoffels, MD, vice chairman of the executive committee and chief scientific officer at Johnson & Johnson, said in the announcement.

“We are hopeful that this early-stage science can ultimately translate into a meaningful difference for at risk communities. We look forward to working with our collaborators to accelerate clinical development,” Stoffels continued. 

Dengue infects nearly 400 million people and sickens up to 100 million each year. The virus may impact billions of more individuals in the coming decades, a Janssen Pharmaceutical spokesperson explained. There are currently no therapeutics available to treat dengue.

The Janssen dengue compound discovery program began in 2007. But research is challenging due to the multiple dengue stereotypes that can cause reinfection and co-circulate in the same regions. 

In 2013, Janssen Pharmaceutical collaborated with Professor Johan Neyts and Suzanne Kaptein at the KU Leuven Rega Institute and Patrick Chaltin at the Centre for Drug Design and Discovery (CD3) to identify a compound series capable of inhibiting the virus in lab-grown cells and animals. 

Janssen Pharmaceutica NV then licensed the compound series in 2015 and continues to advance it into clinical development.

Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, MD, PhD, global head of global public health research & development at Janssen, stated that as the climate continues to change and more communities are at risk, it is important that there are advancements in science to meet the needs of all individuals.