{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T04:51:32Z","timestamp":1792039892185,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,30]],"date-time":"2023-11-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1701302400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Novan, Durham, NC, USA"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Viruses"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is characterized by skin lesions containing the highly contagious molluscum contagiosum poxvirus (MCV). MCV primarily infects children, with one US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug-device treatment in use but no approved medications. Assessing antivirals is hindered by the inability of MCV to replicate in vitro. Here, we use vaccinia virus as a surrogate to provide evidence of the anti-poxvirus properties of berdazimer sodium, a new chemical entity, and the active substance in berdazimer gel, 10.3%, a nitric oxide-releasing topical in phase 3 development for the treatment of MC. We show that berdazimer sodium reduced poxvirus replication and, through a novel methodology, demonstrate that cells infected with drug-treated MCV virions have reduced early gene expression. Specifically, this is accomplished by studying the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell (NF-kB)-blocking protein MC160 as an example of an early gene. The results provide a plausible unique antiviral mechanism of action supporting increased MCV resolution observed in patients treated with berdazimer gel, 10.3% and describe a novel methodology that overcomes limitations in investigating MCV response in vitro to a potential new MC topical medication.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/v15122360","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,30]],"date-time":"2023-11-30T09:37:54Z","timestamp":1701337074000},"page":"2360","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["The Antiviral Effect of Berdazimer Sodium on Molluscum Contagiosum Virus Using a Novel In Vitro Methodology"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Brian M.","family":"Ward","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-4255-4306","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniel A.","family":"Riccio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Novan, Durham, NC 27703, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7207-2810","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martina","family":"Cartwright","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Novan, Durham, NC 27703, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3614-1505","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tomoko","family":"Maeda-Chubachi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Novan, Durham, NC 27703, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"877","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(13)70109-9","article-title":"Molluscum contagiosum virus infection","volume":"13","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"Lancet Infect. 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