Anti Viral Programmes
Antivirals directed against herpes viruses (HSV, VZV which causes postherpetic neuralgia, CMV) and respiratory viruses such as RSV are areas of increasing unmet need yet have blockbuster potential with a doubling in growth value to over $4bn is expected in the next few years. This will be driven by the increasing number of transplant patients where almost all are at risk for post-transplant CMV. RSV is a significant pathogen in infants, the elderly, patients with CHF and COPD and immuno-compromised transplant patients with no effective treatment. In the US alone it is estimated that annually over 2 million people develop severe respiratory events due to RSV infection which results in hospitalisation.
Summit, through use of its Seglin™ technology, has already identified a number of hits against viruses described above in cell based assays. These compounds are the focus of further chemistry optimisation.
