Filoviridae (Filovirus) (FILO)

Filoviruses, members of the family Filoviridae, are filamentous, enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses that cause severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fevers in humans and non-human primates. The family includes highly lethal pathogens such as the Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV), which are characterized by case fatality rates ranging from 25% to 90%. The viral lifecycle is driven by several essential proteins that serve as therapeutic targets: the surface glycoprotein (GP), which facilitates attachment to host cell receptors like Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) and endosomal fusion, and the large (L) protein, which acts as an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) for genome replication and transcription. Treatment strategies generally involve neutralizing the glycoprotein with monoclonal antibodies, such as the FDA-approved cocktails Inmazeb and Ebanga, or inhibiting the viral polymerase with small-molecule nucleotide analogs like remdesivir and favipiravir. Despite the success of these targeted therapies, the rapid mutation rate and high virulence of filoviruses necessitate the continued development of broad-spectrum or pan-filovirus inhibitors.

Other names

FiloviridEbolavirusMarburgvirusHemorrhagic fever virusCueva-like virus

Neutralization of the viral surface glycoprotein (GP) to block host cell entry and fusion; competitive inhibition of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L protein) to terminate RNA synthesis and replication; inhibition of endosomal processing and cysteine proteases required for glycoprotein priming.