Identification of <i>In Vitro</i> Inhibitors of Monkeypox Replication
Kevin Chiem, Aitor Nogales, Marı́a M. Lorenzo, Desarey Morales Vasquez, Yan Xiang, Yogesh K. Gupta, Rafael Blasco, Juan Carlos de la Torre, Luis Martínez‐Sobrido
Abstract
Despite the eradication of smallpox, some orthopoxviruses remain important human pathogens, as exemplified by the recent 2022 monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreak. Although smallpox vaccines are effective against MPXV, access to those vaccines is limited. In addition, current antiviral treatment against MPXV infections is limited to the use of the FDA-approved drugs tecovirimat and brincidofovir. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify novel antivirals for the treatment of MPXV infection and other potentially zoonotic orthopoxvirus infections. Here, we show that 13 compounds, derived from two different libraries, previously found to inhibit several RNA viruses, also inhibit VACV. Notably, 11 compounds also displayed inhibitory activity against MPXV.