NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Tekmira Pharmaceuticals this week announced the publication of data showing that siRNAs targeting the Marburg virus and formulated with its proprietary lipid nanoparticles can completely protect non-human primates from infection.
The findings were published in Science Translational Medicine, and were previously presented by the company in April at the 6th International Symposium of Filoviruses.
According to the study, the animals were infected with the virus, then given 0.5 mg/kg doses of the drug — called TKM-Marburg — once a day for seven days 72 hours later. All of the treated primates survived.
Previously, Tekmira and collaborators at the University of Texas Medical Branch showed that TKM-Marburg could offer complete protection from lethal Marburg infection when given 24 hours and 48 hours after exposure.