Nucleoside Booster
Identify nucleosides as starting points for the development of novel broad-spectrum antiviral drugs to boost pandemic preparedness
current phase of drug development
updated 24 Feb 2025
The World Health Organization (WHO) prioritizes diseases caused by viral infections as a major public health risk due to their epidemic potential and the current lack of effective countermeasures. DNDi is contributing to this global effort through the development of effective interventions to control severe emerging infectious diseases, including antiviral therapy targeting several families of viruses.
The Nucleoside Booster project is a partnership between DNDi and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF). The project involves the systematic assessment of a collection of 145 nucleoside drugs to determine broad-spectrum antiviral activity in a wide panel of in vitro cellular assay systems. The goal of the project is to identify new candidates with broad-spectrum antiviral profiles suitable for further development.
Nucleoside analogues have shown remarkable success in antiviral drug development. Multiple nucleoside analogue drugs are currently used in the treatment of serious viral infections, including abacavir (HIV), sofosbuvir (hepatitis C), remdesivir (Ebola), and more recently, molnupiravir (COVID-19).
DNDi is responsible for selecting and sourcing nucleoside drugs for testing by the Antiviral Compound Testing Platform (ACTP) established by DZIF and headed by Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD). The ACTP is supported by the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the University of Hamburg in the areas of substance logistics and nucleoside chemistry.
Viruses recognised by WHO as presenting the greatest epidemic and pandemic potential in humans – and identified as priorities for pharmaceutical research and development – are included in the project. The results of these studies will be made public through open access channels to advance pharmaceutical research and development in the area of pandemic preparedness.
Project updates
2024
All 23 nucleosides selected for primary screening (four with broad-spectrum antiviral activity and 19 with more restricted specific antiviral activity, based on primary screening data) have been resupplied to the six DZIF-affiliated screening centres for dose-response measurements against 10 viral diseases using 17 distinct viral assay systems. Parallel testing for cytotoxicity of these 23 compounds was also undertaken in seven cell lines. Analysis of all acquired data identified four promising candidates associated with broad-spectrum antiviral activity in the viral assays.
2023
A total of 128 nucleosides were physically secured for the project and six laboratories via the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research. The compounds were sourced through collaboration with the Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines and from vendors. A first report of the primary screening data for 116 compounds was received in September 2023. Four nucleosides with broad-spectrum antiviral activity and 19 nucleosides with restricted antiviral activity were identified in the report and physically resupplied to partner laboratories for further testing in December 2023.
News & resources
- 21 January 2024 – Forschung auf der Suche nach Breitband-Virostatika, Frankfurter Rundschau
- 4 February 2023 – Kampf gegen Erreger X, Spiegel
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