LAUSR

Filoviruses are highly pathogenic negative-stranded RNA hemorrhagic fever viruses. First discovered in 1967, filovirus infections in humans have increased, culminating with the recent Ebola virus epidemic in 2013–2016 that infected over 28,000 people. There are three genera of filoviruses. Ebolavirus consists of five species: Ebola virus (EBOV), which was first discovered in 1976 and was responsible for the 2013–2016 West African epidemic; Sudan virus (SUDV), Tai Forest virus (TAFV), Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), and Reston virus (RESTV). Marburgvirus (Marburg, MARV, and Ravn, RAVV) is the founding member of the filoviruses and just as lethal as the ebolaviruses. The newest filovirus genera, cuevavirus, is composed of a single species (Lloviu, LLOV). The recent West African EBOV epidemic has brought the need for filovirus therapeutics to the forefront. Presented here is a brief discussion of the different categories of experimental therapeutics for filovirus infection (Figure 1), with an emphasis on those that have been used in EBOV or MARV infection in humans or are in advanced preclinical development.