Recent laboratory studies indicate a groundbreaking drug that effectively inhibits various common viruses, including coronaviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), norovirus, influenza, and hepatitis viruses. Upcoming clinical trials are set to start next year, fostering optimism that this drug may soon be available for at-home use, alleviating symptoms and mitigating future viral pandemics.

According to Daniel Haders, co-founder of Model Medicines in California, “This is the first drug demonstrated to exhibit activity across such a diverse range of virus families.” If approved, this drug could offer a convenient solution for individuals experiencing flu-like symptoms without a clear diagnosis between flu, COVID-19, RSV, and more.

This antiviral was originally designated as a breast cancer treatment named ERA-923 and was shelved in the early 2000s due to limited profitability. However, leveraging an AI drug discovery platform, Haders and his team have identified this previously overlooked drug as a potential inhibitor for multiple viruses through an independent mechanism.

The AI platform was aimed at discovering drugs capable of obstructing RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, an enzyme crucial for viral genome replication. Upon determining that this mechanism is conserved across many viruses, researchers searched for drugs binding to specific sites—namely, the Thumb-1 domain. “Our goal was to pinpoint biological choke points where one drug could target multiple diseases,” states Haders.

By analyzing past research and patents, the AI highlighted ERA-923 as a viable candidate for binding to the Thumb-1 domain, effectively curbing viral replication. “Similar to how OpenAI and Anthropic have curated digital knowledge, we synthesized a comprehensive understanding across chemistry, biology, and clinical pharmacology,” Haders asserts, noting that the AI tools of today greatly enhance predictive accuracy.

To validate AI predictions, researchers assessed the drug’s effectiveness, now named MDL-001, against a spectrum of viruses in laboratory-infected cells. Results confirmed its efficacy against influenza A and B, several coronaviruses linked to common colds and COVID-19, RSV, norovirus, and liver-impacting hepatitis B, C, and D.

MDL-001 also demonstrated beneficial effects in treating COVID-19 in murine models, lowering viral levels in the lungs and alleviating weight loss associated with the disease. Haders intends to present these results at the upcoming European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases General Meeting in mid-April, Munich, Germany.

However, skepticism arises from researchers like Peter White of the University of New South Wales, noting that other drugs targeting only the Thumb-1 domain haven’t been universally effective. Contrarily, Model Medicines maintains that MDL-001 employs unique docking mechanisms to combat various viruses. Daniel Rawle from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute concurs, stating, “Many effective in vitro antiviral drugs fail in vivo.”

Model Medicines is organizing clinical trials for MDL-001, anticipated to start early next year, focusing first on assessing the drug’s safety. Previous trials in patients with breast cancer have affirmed its minimal side effects.

The burden of viral infections significantly impacts overall health and productivity, often forcing individuals to take sick leave. However, with rapid at-home treatment options like MDL-001, the landscape of self-managed antiviral care could change, particularly during future outbreaks of coronaviruses and influenza, Haders emphasizes.