D-MAV Pan-filovirus program

Sept. 22, 2026: Decoy Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCOY) announced a refined strategy to advance a pan-filovirus D-MAV program via the FDA Animal Rule pathway, supported by planned non-dilutive government grants and public health/biodefense partnerships.

In preclinical in vitro work, a first-generation de novo filovirus fusion inhibitor showed low-micromolar activity against wild-type Ebola Zaire in cell-based assays, representing more than a five-fold potency improvement versus Decoy’s prior pan-coronavirus lead and a seven-fold improvement over remdesivir, according to the company. The same candidate also showed activity against Marburg virus. Decoy said it is now running generative design campaigns to create a single broad-spectrum pan-filovirus candidate for pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis against human-infecting filoviruses.

The company said the program targets the conserved filovirus fusion core and is being engineered for extended tissue residence time and plasma half-life, with potential weekly dosing.

Decoy also said filovirus and Lassa approvals may qualify for an FDA Tropical Disease Priority Review Voucher, which it described as a potential monetization opportunity. In addition to the filovirus program, the company said it intends to fund its filovirus and MERS programs primarily through non-dilutive grants and strategic partnerships.