PTC Therapeutics has received a $1 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the discovery of antiviral agents for the treatment of dengue fever. The one-year grant will support research for promising compounds identified by PTC's proprietary GEMS (Gene Expression Modulation by Small-molecules) technology that demonstrate activity against the dengue virus (DENV).
 
PTC has established a cell-based DENV assay to screen a series of small molecules aimed at inhibiting key components of the virus. The goal of the NIH grant is to develop the first oral therapy to treat dengue.
 
"We are honored to receive this grant from the NIH, which is an important validation of the applicability of PTC's science," said Stuart W. Peltz, Ph.D., chief executive officer, PTC Therapeutics, Inc. "There are currently no treatments specifically targeting dengue and the disease represents a growing global health concern."