Global sea- and land-borne deployment exposes US Naval and Marine Forces to diverse: 1) littoral terrains, 2) natural disease patterns and 3) vectors in different societies and geoepidemiological environments. This biothreat landscape includes a spectrum of 'existing and anticipated' or 'emerging and unexpected' viral pathogens of natural or recombinantly engineered origin --- threat agents potentially accessible to asymmetrical terrorist elements for direct delivery or stealthily-vectored insertion against US forces. With few antiviral lead pharmacophores effective against a broad taxonomy of DNA and enveloped RNA viral threats, Solus INC. proposes R&D implementation of an innovative biomimetic lead-discovery platform for rapid molecular-level development of broadly-canvassed antiviral countermeasures. Drawing on 40 millennia of ethnopharmacological experience in societies with access to natural source antiviral remedies, a series of promising source botanicals will be probed for antiviral leads, using a proprietary solid state molecular fractionation matrix coupled to assays of antiviral activity against Ebola, Marburg and Poxviruses. Unlike traditional pharmacogenomic methods, botanical 'cytosynthetic factories' directly linked to fractional purification technology will provide high-throughput capabilities for biocombinatorial discovery and production of antivirals. Such countermeasures are more likely to prove effective in neutralizing unexpected or initially un-identified viral pathogens which may be potentially encountered in future settings. A broader inventory of antiviral countermeasures will provide a more effective shield against the potential of explosive exponential host-to-host spread encountered with many viral pathogens, whose route of transmission can extend from aerosolized to vector-borne spread. More versatile antivirals effective in a range of applications from 1) prophylactic protection, to 2) 'treatment-on-exposure', as well as further into the timeline 3) beyond initial exposure and 4) during acute onset of symptoms would provide a vital adjunct to the traditional vaccine based viral control strategies where the likely agent and its genomic or proteomic makeup are better known. A molecular toolbox of antiviral agents would provide a valuable set of 'forward viral defense' countermeasures for initial use against classes of agents whose initial identity and makeup might be unfamiliar or unanticipated. The proposed biomimetic lead-discovery platform merges state-of-the art solid-state fractionation matrix technology, viral activity assay, and biocombinatorial 'cytosynthetic pharmacophore factories' coupled to fractional purification technology, a design with extensive applicability as an enabling technology for broader avenues of drug discovery. The technology to be innovated thus meets applications needs in combat theater and homeland biological defense while providing a roadmap for development of enabling technology products for the commercial biomedical sector. In addition to defense sector customers, commercial markets ripe for effective exploitation include physician and hospital user communities throughout the domestic medical market, as well as biomedical research and pharmaceutical industry. In particular, the proposed technology is widely applicable not only to discovery of antimicrobials but to broader ranges of organic drug leads. Antivirals and their enbabling discovery technology are also of significant market importance throughout veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, agriculture and food industries, components of which are also potential targets of agro-terrorism.
Keywords: Antiviral Countermeasures, Solid-State Fractionation, Fractional Purification, Viral Biodefense, Biomimetic Lead-Discovery, Botanical 'cytosynthe
