Researchers at Georgia State University have developed an oral drug that stopped a measles-like virus from transmitting between ferrets via air or contact. The treatment worked when given before or after exposure and shortened illness duration.
The findings, published in Nature Microbiology, tested GHP-88310 on ferrets infected with canine distemper virus. This model closely mimics measles in humans. The drug, a viral polymerase inhibitor, blocked both direct contact and airborne transmission in controlled setups resembling households and classrooms.
Senior author Richard Plemper said the results show the drug can augment ring vaccination to silence outbreaks quickly. First author Carolin Lieber noted that oral dosing completely prevented airborne spread, an unprecedented result for this class of inhibitors.
When given therapeutically to already infected animals, the compound reduced contagious periods and symptoms. Measles has caused thousands of infections, hundreds of hospitalizations and three deaths in the United States since 2025, with additional outbreaks reported in Canada and Mexico.
The team at the Center for Translational Antiviral Research is now preparing GHP-88310 for formal clinical trials. The work received support from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
