Dengue Project

3,9 billion people worldwide are at risk of Dengue virus infection, for which there are no therapeutic solutions available. Dengue Fever progresses to Severe Dengue in about 500.000 patients worldwide and causes a substantial burden especially on developing countries.

Dengue Fever
Dengue fever is a mosquito-born viral infection that has rapidly spread in all regions of World Health Organization in recent years. Dengue virus is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes Aegypti (tiger mosquito) and causes a substantial burden especially on developing countries in South and Central America and Southeast Asia.
Severe Dengue
Severe Dengue affects most Asian and Latin American countries and has become a leading cause of hospitalization and death among children in these regions.Currently no medications are available against Severe Dengue, which can lead to Dengue Shock Syndrome, produce Ebola like symptoms and is fatal to 22.000 patients annually.
  • The Development Project
    In 2015 First Health Pharmaceuticals started a development project for a novel generation of antivirus and antitumor agents based on the selective inhibition of the human RNA Helicase DDX3.

    The project proved highly successful from the start and the same year the company’s stakeholders decided to found First Health United non-profit organization in order to create a platform for the development of antivirals against diseases that offer a reduced economical prospect but are of a particular importance to the developing world.

  • The Dengue Antivirus Compound
    The Dengue antivirus compound based on the selective inhibition of the human RNA Helicase DDX3 that First Health United wants to develop .

    The Dengue antivirus compound will target the Severe Dengue patient population which are typically hospitalized and require Intravenous Fluid Regulation. Hence the choice of an Intravenous (IV) solution that can be readily applied to the drip bag as the target product.

Dengue Antibody-Dependent Enhancement (ADE)
ADE happens when a person who has previously been infected with one of the four serotypes of Dengue virus later becomes infected with a different serotype. In such cases, the clinical course of the disease is more severe, and these people have higher viremia compared to those in whom ADE has not occurred. ADE may result in the release of cytokines resulting in DHF. This explains that while primary (first) infections cause mostly minor disease in children, re-infection at a later date is more likely to be associated with severe disease in both children and adults.