Nelson lab makes big step in drug to fight Dengue fever and Zika

Friday, 9 June 2023

Kimer Med chief executive, Rick Kiessig said getting 100% positive results against Dengue and Zika was a positive step in the development of a broad-spectrum antiviral drug.

A Nelson-based small-pharma company has passed a major milestone in developing a drug to battle the Dengue and Zika viruses.

Biotech start-up Kimer Med has announced it has developed a compound which achieved two 100% positive results in tests against the two prolific viruses, bringing the total number of viruses it is effective against to seven.

The tests were carried out independently in the United States.

Chief executive and chief science officer Rick Kiessig said they hoped to grow the number of viruses the compound worked against, with the aim of developing a broad-spectrum drug.

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The next step is to raise funds for clinical testing, which they hoped to begin in about two years.

“We're currently trying to optimise the formula to work against many more viruses, and these results help to confirm that we are on the right track.”

Dengue and Zika are part of a family of viruses that caused widespread suffering and death throughout much of Africa, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia.

“Both Dengue and Zika are significant diseases from a global perspective, and in spite of their prevalence and severity, there are no specific antiviral drugs available to treat them,” Kiessig said.

“For this reason, we plan to bring our antiviral to market as quickly as possible. This will have a massive global impact by reducing suffering and death amongst affected populations.”

Dengue fever is the most common mosquito-borne viral disease in the world, and is endemic to 129 countries, resulting in hundreds of millions of cases worldwide.

It can cause high fevers, crippling joint pain, serious organ failure and death.

Dr Bryan Betty speaks about people who have Covid and refuse antiviral treatment. The treatments are intended to keep at-risk people out of hospital. (Video first published December 2022)

Zika virus has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

People infected by during pregnancy can have children with serious health conditions.

Despite their significance and prevalance neither virus had a specific antiviral drug, Kiessig said.

Kimer Med set up a new lab at Cawthron Institute’s Te Wero Aro-aramata facility in November and has since hired lead research scientist Dr Rishi Pandey to step up the pace and scope of the research and development.

At the time, Kiessig said the drug could be effective against other viruses such as Covid-19 and HIV, and they hoped to have it ready for market in five to 10 years.