New Drug Cocktail Shows Promise Against Wide Range of Enteroviruses in Lab Studies

TRONDHEIM, NORWAY – April 16, 2025 – Researchers have developed a combination of drugs that successfully inhibits the replication of enteroviruses in laboratory tests, offering potential hope for a broad-spectrum treatment against a diverse group of viruses responsible for numerous human illnesses. The findings stem from a collaborative effort led by scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

Enteroviruses are a common foe, causing millions of infections each year globally. While many result in mild illnesses like the common cold, some enterovirus types can lead to severe conditions such as meningitis, polio, and potentially contribute to type 1 diabetes. “Enteroviruses pose a significant global health problem,” noted Erlend Ravlo, a PhD research fellow at NTNU’s Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine. Despite their prevalence, no approved general antiviral treatment or vaccine exists for the more than 100 known types.

The research team targeted the viruses’ ability to replicate within human cells. “We have identified a combination of drugs that appears to prevent enteroviruses from replicating,” stated Aleksandr Ianevski, also from the Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine.

The promising cocktail consists of three drugs already known to science: pleconaril, AG7404, and mindeudesivir. Crucially, this specific combination offers the potential for oral administration, possibly as a single pill. These drugs have undergone individual human testing previously, suggesting a pathway for establishing safe dosages.

In extensive laboratory experiments using human cells and sophisticated mini-organ cultures (organoids) simulating the pancreas and heart, the drug combination proved effective against enteroviruses. Importantly, safety checks within these lab models showed encouraging results. “The combination does not alter glucose or insulin levels when tested on pancreatic cells in the laboratory,” said Professor Denis Kainov, a corresponding author on the studies published in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. Tests on heart organoids also indicated no adverse effects on heart rate.

The selection of this specific trio followed rigorous testing of various agents and combinations. An earlier effective mix included pleconaril, rupintrivir, and remdesivir, but the latter two drugs posed challenges for combined oral delivery. Replacing them with AG7404 and mindeudesivir maintained efficacy while offering a more practical administration route.

“This cocktail of medicines is really promising,” said Professor Magnar Bjørås, also a corresponding author. However, the researchers strongly caution that these are preliminary findings. “More studies are needed before we can confirm that these combinations of drugs are also effective in patients,” Bjørås emphasized. Future research must involve testing against a wider variety of enteroviruses and, critically, progression to human clinical trials to establish safety and efficacy in people.

If further research validates these initial findings, this drug cocktail could represent a significant advancement in combating the diverse threats posed by enteroviruses.

Disclaimer: The research described in this article is based on laboratory studies conducted on human cells and organoid cultures. The drug combination discussed has not been tested in human clinical trials and is not approved for human use. Further extensive research and clinical trials are required to determine the safety and efficacy of this potential treatment in patients. This information is for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice.