Interactive Pipeline of Antiviral Development Landscape released; analysis reveals world remains unprepared against viral threats of pandemic and endemic concern

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., August 24, 2026 – As we approach the 100-day milestone since the World Health Organization declared the Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern,¹ the INTREPID Alliance’s latest interactive antiviral pipeline released today reinforces that the world’s current research and development pipeline of medicines is inadequate to combat many of the next outbreaks from known viruses of greatest concern.

The ongoing Ebola disease outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus is now the deadliest in DRC’s history and the fastest spreading Ebola outbreak on record.² While no treatments or vaccines are currently approved against this filovirus variant, pharmaceutical companies – including members of the INTREPID Alliance – and other partners, are testing novel and existing therapeutics as well as their combinations as a part of the response to the outbreak. The antiviral clinical testing was swiftly initiated in part due to trial protocols being proactively prepared ahead of time, setting a good example for much needed preparedness streamlining and acceleration. However, despite these efforts, the challenging geopolitical situation and additional factors make the timely containment of the outbreak very difficult.

The work to develop treatments for a quick response to a new outbreak must be started long before we need to face an outbreak emergency. The importance of the INTREPID Alliance’s longitudinal analysis of the Antiviral Clinical and Preclinical Development Landscape, now in its fifth edition, is that it provides the most comprehensive publicly available account of the global pipeline of small-molecule antiviral compounds for the 14 viral families with the greatest pandemic potential.³ As a resource for the global research community, the landscape identifies the gaps that exist in the treatments available or in development for viruses the WHO has identified as priorities⁴ for pandemic and outbreak readiness, which extend well beyond filoviruses – the viral family that includes the deadly Ebola and Marburg viruses.

The landscape analysis, based on publicly available information, shows that:

• Only 8 viral disease indications are currently in clinical evaluation across 6 of the 14 high-risk viral families, likely representing the only potential new small-molecule antiviral treatments for these indications in the next 4-5 years.
• While 11 of the 14 viral families have compounds in preclinical stages, expected attrition and the time required to advance through R&D stages mean that we may have no approved treatments for many viruses for years to come.
• Significant gaps persist, with no ongoing clinical or preclinical novel antiviral activity in 3 high-risk viral families: Adenoviridae, Hantaviridae, Peribunyaviridae.*

With today’s updates to the landscape’s interactive pipeline, researchers and funders can now search all compounds categorized by phase of clinical development, viral disease indication, viral target, developer, and approval status. Novel unapproved compounds in clinical development are classified into several categories based on their potential as analyzed from publicly available data.

“INTREPID’s landscape analysis and interactive pipeline are indispensable tools to support informed decision making in the face of emerging outbreaks. The landscape provides an extensive overview of work going on in the antiviral field, including mechanisms of action, and broad spectrum compounds which could also be evaluated in non-crisis times for potential indication expansions.” said John C. Pottage, Jr., M.D., Lead Scientific Consultant, INTREPID Alliance.

Viruses remain a constant threat given their ability to rapidly mutate and evade human immune systems and medical treatments. Antiviral therapies are not only an essential component to strengthening our outbreak readiness but also in treating endemic viral infections, such as dengue fever, Zika, West Nile, COVID-19, and influenza. The INTREPID Alliance is actively working with partners on the shared goal of creating an ecosystem that supports sustained investment into the necessary R&D. We welcome the support of the WHO leadership⁵ and the International Pandemic Preparedness Secretariat efforts to launch a Therapeutics Development Coalition⁶ to advance this objective.

“This is the time to invest in antiviral innovation, to enable us to respond faster to future disease outbreaks as well as tackle endemic diseases. Companies are stepping up to respond to the current Ebola outbreak in DRC but are starting from a limited pipeline. Today’s report underlines just how much more there is to be done to prepare for future response to viral infections,” said James Anderson, Executive Director of R&D Innovation at the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) and Chair of the INTREPID Alliance Board.

Scientific Resources to Accelerate Antiviral Discovery & Development

INTREPID’s antiviral pipeline reports and broader antiviral toolbox are a key contribution to the 100 Days Mission and the recently announced Therapeutics Development Coalition, whose aim is to be prepared in the future so that within the first 100 days of a new outbreak being identified, interventions can be made available, safe, effective, and affordable.

INTREPID’s research is freely available and is intended to support policymakers, funders, drug developers, and the global scientific community in identifying the most urgent needs and highest-impact opportunities in antiviral R&D.

The full landscape report and antiviral toolbox with deep dive reports and resources are available at the INTREPID website.

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Disclaimer

The INTREPID Alliance is a non-profit consortium of innovative biopharmaceutical companies and affiliates committed to accelerating the development of antivirals for epidemic and pandemic threats. Through independent landscape analysis and policy engagement, the Alliance supports science-based investment and preparedness strategies aligned with global public health goals.

As part of our efforts, the INTREPID Alliance maintains and publishes a centralized list of promising investigational candidate compounds, with the purpose of knowledge-sharing and to support better pandemic preparedness. These compounds have been selected based on objective, scientific criteria, using publicly available sources, and at arm’s length from commercial influence of our member companies. See criteria listed in the report “Antiviral Clinical Development Landscape and Promising Clinical Compounds.” The designation of certain compounds as promising is based upon currently available information, and exclusively upon an assessment against these criteria. “Promising” is not a promotional claim. Candidate compounds have not been assessed by regulatory authorities to be safe and efficacious for the treatment of disease in humans. Our content is designed to be factual, informative, and non-commercial. It is not designed or intended to advertise or promote any pharmaceutical product or therapy or to advance the commercial interests of any company.

ABOUT THE INTREPID ALLIANCE

The INTREPID Alliance aims to accelerate the development of new treatments for emerging viral pandemic agents through facilitating early science and R&D, policy and advocacy, and stakeholder engagement. Led by a not-for-profit consortium of innovative biopharmaceutical companies and affiliates and working with the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, INTREPID works to bridge key gaps and unmet needs to ensure delivery of antiviral solutions to viral pathogens with the greatest pandemic potential.

INTREPID was launched in March 2023 at a high-level summit bringing together more than 100 thought leaders in virology and global health. For a read-out from the summit and additional information, visit www.intrepidalliance.org.

CONTACT
Nina M. Hill, Ph.D., Secretariat, INTREPID Alliance, [email protected]

* Excludes approved antivirals or indication expansions.
¹ World Health Organization (WHO). Epidemic of Ebola Disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda determined a public health emergency of international concern. 17 May 2026.
² Institut National de Santé Publique. DRC Ebola Bundibugyo – Epidemic Intelligence Dashboard. Accessed on 22 August 2026.
³ INTREPID Alliance. Antiviral Clinical and Preclinical Development Landscape – 5th Edition. 12 May 2026.
⁴ World Health Organization (WHO). Prioritizing diseases for research and development in emergency contexts. Accessed on 22 August 2026.
⁵ Ghebreyesus T, Kaseya J, Ihekweazu C, et al. Beyond vaccines: closing the critical gap in diagnostics and therapeutics for outbreak response. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2026; 26, 873-875.
⁶ International Pandemic Preparedness Secretariat (IPPS). Accelerating Action for Pandemic Preparedness in 2026: Joint Statement by IPPS, CEPI, FIND, DNDi and Unitaid. 30 June 2026.