Fighting Viruses with Precision Protein Inhibition with Bernd van Buuren of Protinhi

Humankind's greatest infectious threats are posed by viruses. Even before COVID-19 made a global impact on health and economies, Dengue and West Nile Virus have long been endemic threats in warmer parts of the world and Zika emerged as a local threat in South America. As climate change drives insect migration, these viruses may soon pose a threat outside their current ranges.

Protinhi have a new approach to developing treatments for these viral diseases, with a program leading on Dengue. Viruses replicate within a host cell after infection using a virally encoded protease. These proteases present a target for Protinhi's innovative small molecule compounds that inhibit this process, blocking viral replication.

Protinhi is currently in the discovery phase and preclinical phase for their compounds. Their work is supported by Health Holland and Oost NL.