Therapeutics for Nipah virus disease: a systematic review to support prioritisation of drug candidates for clinical trials

Abstract

Nipah virus disease is a bat-borne zoonosis with person-to-person transmission, a case-fatality rate of 38–75%, and well recognised potential to cause a pandemic. The first reported outbreak of Nipah virus disease occurred in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998, which has since been followed by multiple outbreaks in Bangladesh and India. To date, no therapeutics or vaccines have been approved to treat Nipah virus disease, and only few such candidates are in development. In this Review, we aim to assess the safety and efficacy of the therapeutic options (monoclonal antibodies and small molecules) for Nipah virus disease and other henipaviral diseases to support prioritisation of drug candidates for further evaluation in clinical trials. At present, sufficient evidence exists to suggest trialling 1F5, m102.4, and remdesivir (alone or in combination) for prophylaxis and early treatment of Nipah virus disease. In addition to well designed clinical efficacy trials, in-vivo pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic studies are needed to optimise the selection and dosing of therapeutic candidates in animal challenge and natural human infection.