SIGA ANNOUNCES SUCCESS OF ITS SMALLPOX COMPOUND IN PRECLINICAL STUDY

Siga Technologies has announced that its lead smallpox compound, SIGA-246, completely protected golden ground squirrels from lethal doses of monkeypox virus.

Monkeypox virus is closely related to human smallpox virus, and causes a similar disease in both monkeys and humans. SIGA-246, administered orally, demonstrated significant antiviral activity against the golden ground squirrel model of monkeypox disease. The study was conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Smallpox virus is considered one of the most significant threats for use as a biowarfare agent, due to the fact that since 1972 people in the U.S. have not been vaccinated against it. Smallpox is very easily transmitted from person to person, and has high mortality rates with 90 percent morbidity. At present, there is no treatment for smallpox that can be safely administered to the general population without significant risk of adverse reactions.