Available orally, non-mutagenic and devoid of toxicity, the antiviral bemnifosbuvir has many advantages. A French team has just discovered its ability to neutralize the replication of SARS-CoV-2, regardless of the existing or future variant.
The campaign of vaccination is a resounding success in France. On February 4, 2022, nearly 53 million French people had a complete vaccination schedule, including 36 million who had also received the booster dose. If the vaccination is an effective weapon in the fight against pandemicthe search for treatments against virus nonetheless necessary. Bennifosbuvir, which has just entered a phase III clinical trial, is a molecule particularly promising.
Action mechanism
Bennifosbuvir is a molecule that was developed with the intention of treatinghepatitis C. A laboratory at the University of Aix-Marseille, directed by Bruno Canard, has demonstrated its ability to neutralize the SARS-CoV-2. One item was published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications on February 2, 2022.
Bennifosbuvir is a prodrug, meaning it is not given in its active form. Once in the body, it will need to be metabolized to become active. The active form is an analogue of nucleotide triphosphate. It is able to block the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-CoV-2, stopping the replication virus and the spread of the virus in the human organism.
A molecule with multiple benefits
Where vaccines target variable parts of the virus and therefore lose effectiveness as new variants emerge, bemnifosbuvir targets a less variable part of the virus. This is identical in all variants of SARS-CoV-2. This means that this molecule could be effective against all existing and future variants. A huge advantage given the strong mutation capacities of the virus.
Bennifosbuvir has a naturally occurring guanine base. This guarantees its lack of mutagenic power, unlike other antivirals such as favipiravir, remdesivir or molnupiravir. Moreover, given the data currently available, there is no toxicity.
Furthermore, while many of the currently available treatments for Covid-19 are injectables, bemnifosbuvir can be administered orally. This simplifies its transport, storage and delivery.
The molecule has been administered to several patients with comorbidity in the USA. The first clinical results are encouraging: bemnifosbuvir would prevent severe forms of the disease. Other clinical trials on larger patient populations will take place in the spring.
This molecule could be particularly interesting in people who cannot be vaccinated, such as the immunocompromised (250,000 people in France). It may also be beneficial in vaccinated individuals with comorbidities (obesity, diabetes, Trisomy 21…) and therefore at risk of developing serious forms of the disease. Bennifosbuvir also brings hope for people with long Covid.
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