NanoViricides, Inc. announced on Tuesday that it is advancing its broad-spectrum antiviral candidate, NV-387, toward Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of measles.
StreetInsider reported that the clinical-stage company is developing a trial protocol for submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration through the Investigational New Drug process.
The development program addresses an urgent therapeutic gap as measles cases climb globally. While vaccination remains the primary prevention strategy, no specific antiviral drugs currently exist to treat patients who contract the infection. NV-387 is designed to act as a host-mimetic nanomedicine, using specialized nanomaterials that simulate host cells to attract and neutralize viral pathogens.
Preclinical data supporting the advancement include trials in a humanized mouse model where NV-387 demonstrated antiviral activity against lethal measles infection. The drug completed a juvenile mouse toxicity study that observed no treatment-related adverse effects at the highest dose tested.
The compound has also finished a Phase I human safety evaluation and is currently undergoing separate Phase II testing for mpox and the Ebola Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The U.S. regulatory agency has granted NV-387 both Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Disease Drug Designation for measles.
Newsworthy.ai said that the Rare Pediatric Disease designation could qualify NanoViricides for a Priority Review Voucher upon marketing approval, which can be transferred or sold to fund broader pipeline development. Orphan Drug Designation provides financial incentives, including tax credits for clinical trials and seven years of market exclusivity upon approval.
In the repeat-dose juvenile mouse toxicity evaluation, the No Observed Adverse Effect Level reached 1,230 milligrams per kilogram per dose administered three times daily. This resulted in a total cumulative exposure of 44,280 milligrams per kilogram over a twelve-day dosing period. Researchers reported no systemic toxicity, mortality, or adverse cardiovascular impacts.
Because the highest administered concentration produced no toxicological findings, investigators could not establish a Maximum Tolerable Dose. The oral gummies formulation being tested mirrors the delivery mechanism currently utilized in the company’s international Phase II trials.
The push toward clinical evaluation coincides with rising infection rates domestically and internationally. NanoViricides cited 5,164 confirmed measles cases across 47 U.S. jurisdictions as of November 5, 2026, with 96 percent occurring in unvaccinated individuals and 4 percent classified as breakthrough infections in vaccinated patients. Hospitalization rates reached 11 percent, alongside four confirmed fatalities.
International figures highlight even greater disease burdens. In Bangladesh, health data recorded 24,073 laboratory-confirmed cases and 105 deaths between March 15 and November 10, 2026. Suspected cases during that timeframe led to 207,428 hospitalizations and 1,263 deaths, predominantly among pediatric populations.
NV-387 remains an investigational drug candidate and holds no commercial approval for treating measles or any other viral illness. Drug development timelines are lengthy and require substantial capital investment, with no absolute guarantee of clinical success or eventual commercial viability. Therapeutic applications are also limited by the foundational licensing agreements between NanoViricides and TheraCour Pharma, Inc., which restrict the current MoU to specific antiviral targets and exclude oncology indications.
- StreetInsider: NanoViricides (NYSE American: NNVC) Advances NV-387 Measles Treatment Toward Phase II Clinical Trials
- Newsworthy.ai: NanoViricides Advances NV-387 Measles Treatment Toward Phase II
- Faqsir.com: NanoViricides Advances NV-387 Measles Programme Toward Clinical Trials
