Favipiravir (T-705; 6-fluoro-3-hydroxy-2-pyrazinecarboxamide) is an anti-viral agent that selectively and potently inhibits the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of RNA viruses. Favipiravir was discovered through screening chemical library for anti-viral activity against the influenza virus by Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd. Favipiravir undergoes an intracellular phosphoribosylation to be an active form, favipiravir-RTP (favipiravir ribofuranosyl-5′-triphosphate), which is recognized as a substrate by RdRp, and inhibits the RNA polymerase activity. Since the catalytic domain of RdRp is conserved among various types of RNA viruses, this mechanism of action underpins a broader spectrum of anti-viral activities of favipiravir. Favipiravir is effective against a wide range of types and subtypes of influenza viruses, including strains resistant to existing anti-influenza drugs. Of note is that favipiravir shows anti-viral activities against other RNA viruses such as arenaviruses, bunyaviruses and filoviruses, all of which are known to cause fatal hemorrhagic fever. These unique anti-viral profiles will make favipiravir a potentially promising drug for specifically untreatable RNA viral infections.

T-705 (favipiravir; 6-fluoro-3-hydroxy-2-pyrazinecarboxamide) selectively and strongly inhibits replication of the influenza virus in vitro and in vivo. T-705 has been shown to be converted to T-705-4-ribofuranosyl-5-triphosphate (T-705RTP) by intracellular enzymes and then functions as a nucleotide analog to selectively inhibit RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the influenza virus. To elucidate these inhibitory mechanisms, we analyzed the enzyme kinetics of inhibition using Lineweaver-Burk plots of four natural nucleoside triphosphates and conducted polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the primer extension products initiated from 32 P-radiolabeled 5=Cap1 RNA. Enzyme kinetic analysis demonstrated that T-705RTP inhibited the incorporation of ATP and GTP in a competitive manner, which suggests that T-705RTP is recognized as a purine nucleotide by influenza virus RdRp and inhibited the incorporation of UTP and CTP in noncompetitive and mixed-type manners, respectively. Primer extension analysis demonstrated that a single molecule of T-705RTP was incorporated into the nascent RNA strand of the influenza virus and inhibited the subsequent incorporation of nucleotides. These results suggest that a single molecule of T-705RTP is incorporated into the nascent RNA strand as a purine nucleotide analog and inhibits strand extension, even though the natural ribose of T-705RTP has a 3=-OH group, which is essential for forming a covalent bond with the phosphate group.

With up to 500,000 infections annually, Lassa virus (LASV), the cause of Lassa fever, is one of the most prevalent etiological agents of viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) in humans. LASV is endemic in several West African countries with sporadic cases and prolonged outbreaks observed most commonly in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria. Additionally several cases of Lassa fever have been imported into North America, Europe and Asia making LASV a global threat to public health. Despite this, currently no approved therapeutic or vaccine exists to treat or prevent LASV infections. Here, using a passaged strain of LASV that is uniformly lethal in Hartley guinea pigs, we demonstrate that favipiravir, a broad-spectrum antiviral agent and leading treatment option for influenza, has potent activity against LASV infection. In this model, once daily treatment with favipiravir significantly reduced viral titers in tissue samples and reduced mortality rates when compared with animals receiving vehicle-only or ribavirin, the current standard of care for Lassa fever. Favipiravir remained highly effective against lethal LASV infection when treatments were initiated nine days post-infection, a time when animals were demonstrating advanced signs of disease. These results support the further preclinical evaluation of favipiravir for Lassa fever and other VHFs.

Nipah and Hendra viruses are recently emerged bat-borne paramyxoviruses (genus Henipavirus) causing severe encephalitis and respiratory disease in humans with fatality rates ranging from 40–75%. Despite the severe pathogenicity of these viruses and their pandemic potential, no therapeutics or vaccines are currently approved for use in humans. Favipiravir (T-705) is a purine analogue antiviral approved for use in Japan against emerging influenza strains; and several phase 2 and 3 clinical trials are ongoing in the United States and Europe. Favipiravir has demonstrated efficacy against a broad spectrum of RNA viruses, including members of the Paramyxoviridae, Filoviridae, Arenaviridae families, and the Bunyavirales order. We now demonstrate that favipiravir has potent antiviral activity against henipaviruses. In vitro, favipiravir inhibited Nipah and Hendra virus replication and transcription at micromolar concentrations. In the Syrian hamster model, either twice daily oral or once daily subcutaneous administration of favipiravir for 14 days fully protected animals challenged with a lethal dose of Nipah virus. This first successful treatment of henipavirus infection in vivo with a small molecule drug suggests that favipiravir should be further evaluated as an antiviral treatment option for henipavirus infections.

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