Oral obeldesivir, an anti-viral drug, prevents Marburg disease in non-human primates according to research conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Galveston National Laboratory, in collaboration with Gilead Sciences and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 

The study is especially timely in light of the recent and ongoing Marburg outbreaks in Rwanda and Tanzania, respectively. 

The study, published in Nature Medicine, showed that administration of obeldesivir was associated with a survival rate of 80 percent when given after lethal Marburg virus exposure in a nonhuman primate model. It also reduced viral replication and delayed disease onset, suggesting a potential post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) or treatment option for an infection with no approved therapies.  

Marburg disease is a viral hemorrhagic fever usually found in sub-Saharan Africa. Untreated, it can result in fatality rates of up to 90 percent. The highly infectious disease is similar to Ebola, with symptoms including fever, muscle pains, diarrhea and vomiting that can quickly lead to bleeding, shock, and multiorgan failure.  

The most recent confirmed Marburg outbreak occurred In Rwanda from September to December of 2024 and resulted in 66 documented illnesses and 15 deaths.  

Other agents that have shown promise for treating patients exposed to Marburg must be administered intravenously. Having an oral drug would make timely intervention more available since the oral route requires no medical supplies or special training for administration. 

Although exposure to an infected bat usually initiates a Marburg outbreak, transmission can also occur from human to human, putting health care workers at high risk for exposure.  

Antiviral agents that can be administered after exposure to Marburg virus are critical in Marburg outbreaks.  

“The convenience of taking a pill rather than going to the clinic for an i.v. infusion should accelerate the PEP of contacts and contacts of contacts, critical in breaking the chain of virus transmission during outbreaks,” said Dr. Thomas Geisbert, coauthor and professor of Microbiology and Immunology at UTMB. “We thank our corporate partner Gilead and the NIAID for their support in advancing the development of this promising antiviral agent for Marburg virus infections.”

The Galveston National Laboratory, a sophisticated high containment research facility, serves as a critically important resource in the global fight against infectious diseases. The lab operates under the umbrella of UTMB’s Institute for Human Infections and Immunity. 

Other contributing authors include Robert W. Cross, Courtney Woolsey, Abhishek N. Prasad, Viktoriya Borisevich, Krystle N. Agans, Daniel J. Deer, Mack B Harrison, Natalie S. Dobias and Karla A. Fenton from UTMB; Tomas Cihlar, Anh-Quan Nguyen, Darius Babusis, Roy Bannister, Meghan S. Vermillion, Victor C. Chu from Gilead Sciences.  

Oral obeldesivir, an anti-viral drug, prevents Marburg disease in non-human primates according to research conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Galveston National Laboratory, in collaboration with Gilead Sciences and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 

The study is especially timely in light of the recent and ongoing Marburg outbreaks in Rwanda and Tanzania, respectively. 

The study, published in Nature Medicine, showed that administration of obeldesivir was associated with a survival rate of 80 percent when given after lethal Marburg virus exposure in a nonhuman primate model. It also reduced viral replication and delayed disease onset, suggesting a potential post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) or treatment option for an infection with no approved therapies.  

Marburg disease is a viral hemorrhagic fever usually found in sub-Saharan Africa. Untreated, it can result in fatality rates of up to 90 percent. The highly infectious disease is similar to Ebola, with symptoms including fever, muscle pains, diarrhea and vomiting that can quickly lead to bleeding, shock, and multiorgan failure.  

The most recent confirmed Marburg outbreak occurred In Rwanda from September to December of 2024 and resulted in 66 documented illnesses and 15 deaths.  

Other agents that have shown promise for treating patients exposed to Marburg must be administered intravenously. Having an oral drug would make timely intervention more available since the oral route requires no medical supplies or special training for administration. 

Although exposure to an infected bat usually initiates a Marburg outbreak, transmission can also occur from human to human, putting health care workers at high risk for exposure.  

Antiviral agents that can be administered after exposure to Marburg virus are critical in Marburg outbreaks.  

“The convenience of taking a pill rather than going to the clinic for an i.v. infusion should accelerate the PEP of contacts and contacts of contacts, critical in breaking the chain of virus transmission during outbreaks,” said Dr. Thomas Geisbert, coauthor and professor of Microbiology and Immunology at UTMB. “We thank our corporate partner Gilead and the NIAID for their support in advancing the development of this promising antiviral agent for Marburg virus infections.”

The Galveston National Laboratory, a sophisticated high containment research facility, serves as a critically important resource in the global fight against infectious diseases. The lab operates under the umbrella of UTMB’s Institute for Human Infections and Immunity. 

Other contributing authors include Robert W. Cross, Courtney Woolsey, Abhishek N. Prasad, Viktoriya Borisevich, Krystle N. Agans, Daniel J. Deer, Mack B Harrison, Natalie S. Dobias and Karla A. Fenton from UTMB; Tomas Cihlar, Anh-Quan Nguyen, Darius Babusis, Roy Bannister, Meghan S. Vermillion, Victor C. Chu from Gilead Sciences.