Use of Antibiotic Minocycline in Viral Diseases of the Central nervous System

Diseases associated with West Nile Virus (WNV) and other encephalitis viruses are increasingly common. Plus, currently no treatment exists for any of the encephalitis viruses. WNV alone has become a national problem in just three years since its incidence in the United States, and some studies suggest that WNV will become even more of a health and economic concern in the future. Description (Set) Proposed Use (Set) JHU researchers have found that a tetracycline derivative has marked effects in protecting animals from viral encephalomyelitis. Sindbis virus is a virus that is evolutionarily similar to human encephalitis viruses, including WNV. JHU researchers have shown that although the tetracycline derivative does not have any direct antiviral effect, it blocks the inflammatory response within the central nervous system in response to viral infection. Surprisingly, by blocking this response, the viral infection is markedly attenuated, with diminished mortality and paralysis

Inventor(s): Kerr, Douglas

Type of Offer: Licensing



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