Old Antibiotic Blocks RSV

SapporoSparfloxacin targets both a virus and its host.

RSV kills infants overwhelmingly in countries without cold-chain vaccines or antibodies.

Single-target antivirals let RSV evolve escape mutants, but disabling a host protein it cannot replace raises that barrier.

Sparfloxacin itself was withdrawn in several markets for cardiac and tendon toxicity.

Sources: Nature