Brilacidin as a Broad-Spectrum Inhibitor of Enveloped, Acutely Infectious Viruses.

Anderson CA, Barrera MD, Boghdeh NA, Smith M, Alem F, Narayanan A

Microorganisms28 Dec 2023Cited by 3 (Europe PMC)

PMID38257881PMCIDPMC10819233DOI10.3390/microorganisms12010054PepBankPUB-38257881

Summary

Alphaviruses, belonging to the Togaviridae family, and bunyaviruses, belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family, are globally distributed and lack FDA-approved vaccines and therapeutics. The alphaviruses Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) and eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) are known to cause severe encephalitis, whereas Sindbis virus (SINV) causes arthralgia potentially persisting for years after initial infection. The bunyavirus Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV) can lead to blindness, liver failure, and hemorrhagic fever. Brilacidin, a small molecule that was designed de novo based on naturally occurring host defensins, was investigated for its antiviral activity against these viruses in human small airway epithelial cells (HSAECs) and African green monkey kidney cells (Veros). This testing was further expanded into a non-enveloped Echovirus, a Picornavirus, to further demonstrate brilacidin's effect on early steps of the viral infectious cycle that leads to inhibition of viral load. Brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against alphaviruses VEEV TC-83, VEEV TrD, SINV, EEEV, and bunyavirus RVFV. The inhibitory potential of brilacidin against the viruses tested in this study was dependent on the dosing strategy which necessitated compound addition pre- and post-infection, with addition only at the post-infection stage not eliciting a robust inhibitory response. The inhibitory activity of brilacidin was only modest in the context of the non-enveloped Picornavirus Echovirus, suggesting brilacidin may be less potent against non-enveloped viruses.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study7

7 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

01LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In cells, brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against VEEV TC-83.
In plain wordsIn cells, brilacidin showed activity against VEEV TC-83.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
DecreaseVEEV TC-83 antiviral activity
Study
n: not reported in source
Human small airway epithelial cells and African green monkey kidney cells
Outcome group
Antiviral activity · Infection
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against alphaviruses VEEV TC-83, VEEV TrD, SINV, EEEV, and bunyavirus RVFV.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Brilacidin, a small molecule that was designed de novo based on naturally occurring host defensins, was investigated for its antiviral activity against these viruses in human small airway epithelial cells (HSAECs) and African green monkey kidney cells (Veros).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3825788101
02LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In cells, brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against VEEV TrD.
In plain wordsIn cells, brilacidin showed activity against VEEV TrD.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
DecreaseVEEV TrD antiviral activity
Study
n: not reported in source
Human small airway epithelial cells and African green monkey kidney cells
Outcome group
Antiviral activity · Infection
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against alphaviruses VEEV TC-83, VEEV TrD, SINV, EEEV, and bunyavirus RVFV.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Brilacidin, a small molecule that was designed de novo based on naturally occurring host defensins, was investigated for its antiviral activity against these viruses in human small airway epithelial cells (HSAECs) and African green monkey kidney cells (Veros).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3825788102
03LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In cells, brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against SINV.
In plain wordsIn cells, brilacidin showed activity against SINV.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
DecreaseSINV antiviral activity
Study
n: not reported in source
Human small airway epithelial cells and African green monkey kidney cells
Outcome group
Antiviral activity · Infection
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against alphaviruses VEEV TC-83, VEEV TrD, SINV, EEEV, and bunyavirus RVFV.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Brilacidin, a small molecule that was designed de novo based on naturally occurring host defensins, was investigated for its antiviral activity against these viruses in human small airway epithelial cells (HSAECs) and African green monkey kidney cells (Veros).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3825788103
04LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In cells, brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against EEEV.
In plain wordsIn cells, brilacidin showed activity against EEEV.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
DecreaseEEEV antiviral activity
Study
n: not reported in source
Human small airway epithelial cells and African green monkey kidney cells
Outcome group
Antiviral activity · Infection
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against alphaviruses VEEV TC-83, VEEV TrD, SINV, EEEV, and bunyavirus RVFV.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Brilacidin, a small molecule that was designed de novo based on naturally occurring host defensins, was investigated for its antiviral activity against these viruses in human small airway epithelial cells (HSAECs) and African green monkey kidney cells (Veros).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3825788104
05LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In cells, brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against RVFV.
In plain wordsIn cells, brilacidin showed activity against RVFV.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
DecreaseRVFV antiviral activity
Study
n: not reported in source
Human small airway epithelial cells and African green monkey kidney cells
Outcome group
Antiviral activity · Infection
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Brilacidin demonstrated antiviral activity against alphaviruses VEEV TC-83, VEEV TrD, SINV, EEEV, and bunyavirus RVFV.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Brilacidin, a small molecule that was designed de novo based on naturally occurring host defensins, was investigated for its antiviral activity against these viruses in human small airway epithelial cells (HSAECs) and African green monkey kidney cells (Veros).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3825788105
06LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In cells, brilacidin required addition before and after infection for inhibition, while post-infection addition alone did not elicit a robust response.
In plain wordsIn cells, brilacidin required treatment before and after infection. Treatment only after infection did not produce a strong response.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
MixedDosing strategy dependence
Study
n: not reported in source
Human small airway epithelial cells and African green monkey kidney cells
Outcome group
Antiviral activity · Infection
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
The inhibitory potential of brilacidin against the viruses tested in this study was dependent on the dosing strategy which necessitated compound addition pre- and post-infection, with addition only at the post-infection stage not eliciting a robust inhibitory response.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Brilacidin, a small molecule that was designed de novo based on naturally occurring host defensins, was investigated for its antiviral activity against these viruses in human small airway epithelial cells (HSAECs) and African green monkey kidney cells (Veros).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3825788106
07LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In cells, brilacidin showed only modest inhibitory activity against non-enveloped Echovirus.
In plain wordsIn cells, brilacidin showed only modest activity against non-enveloped Echovirus.
Peptide
Brilacidin
Outcome
DecreaseEchovirus antiviral activity
Study
n: not reported in source
Human small airway epithelial cells and African green monkey kidney cells
Outcome group
Antiviral activity · Infection
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
The inhibitory activity of brilacidin was only modest in the context of the non-enveloped Picornavirus Echovirus, suggesting brilacidin may be less potent against non-enveloped viruses.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Brilacidin, a small molecule that was designed de novo based on naturally occurring host defensins, was investigated for its antiviral activity against these viruses in human small airway epithelial cells (HSAECs) and African green monkey kidney cells (Veros).
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-3825788107

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
27 Oct 2026, 18:20 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
27 Oct 2026, 16:32 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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