ISLA-101

ISLA-101 is a repurposed small molecule antiviral drug candidate being developed by Island Pharmaceuticals for the prevention and treatment of dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases, such as Zika virus. The active ingredient is fenretinide, a synthetic retinoid derivative with a well-characterized safety profile. ISLA-101 functions by targeting and inhibiting the nonstructural Protein 5 (NS5) of the dengue virus, which is essential for viral replication. The drug is formulated as an oral gel capsule for twice-daily administration and is currently being evaluated in the Phase II PROTECT clinical trial (NCT06528457), which includes both a prophylactic (Phase IIa) and a therapeutic (Phase IIb) component. It represents the first drug candidate investigated as both a prophylactic and therapeutic agent against dengue in a clinical setting using a challenge virus.

Other names

fenretinide4-HPRN-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide