Development of Antiviral Drugs for Intranasal Administration Based on Double-Stranded RNA and Recombinant Interferons

Intranasal preparations containing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and interferon-α2b (IFN-α2b) or IFN-γ as a part of the molecular constructs were more resistant to enzymatic degradation than as individual components. The antiviral activity of dsRNA in mouse fibroblast L929 cells infected with murine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) was increased when IFN was introduced into the construct compared with that for the dsRNA substance alone. An increase in the anti-EMCV activity of the drug was observed with increasing IFN content of the construct. A dose-dependent increase in antiviral activity of IFN incorporated in the molecular constructs was shown against EMCV-infected human embryonic lung cells L-68. The data obtained confirm the prospects for the development of new drugs, the delivery system of which includes IFN and dsRNA, for intranasal administration as prophylactic and therapeutic agents against influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections.