New broad spectrum antiviral drugs: three approaches

The HIV-1 virus cultivated with human lymphocytes.
C. Goldsmith, P. Feorino, E. L. Palmer, W. R. McManus/
CDC Public Health Image Library

 

From National Public Radio's Fresh Aire broadcast, Tuesday, 4/17/2012:

Scientists are now working to create a "penicillin-like" drug that will target viruses more broadly. In San Francisco, a company called Prosetta is working on a drug that doesn't affect a virus directly. Instead, it works by affecting the proteins that are naturally in cells that help viruses replicate.
     ...Prosetta created a drug that prevents the host proteins from performing their cooperative jobs and helping the viruses out. Preliminary studies have shown that targeting these host proteins — and not the virus itself — can stop Ebola, influenza, rabies and other viruses.