Four compounds active against rhinovirus: comparison in vitro and in volunteers.

Four unrelated compounds active against rhinovirus were compared in tissue culture, and three of them were used in volunteers challenged with rhinovirus. The compounds were the triazino-indole SKF 40491, the substituted oxadiazole GLR9-338, the imidazo-thiazole RP L9326, and the guanidine derivative ICI 73,602. The abilities of these compounds to reduce the yield of rhinovirus types 3, 4, 9, and 31 from HeLa cells or fibroblasts were compared, and a sensitive serotype was chosen for each challenge experiment in humans. In doubleblind studies volunteers received intranasal medication before and after the challenge. Daily scoring of symptoms and titration of virus in nasal washings showed that subjects treated with SKF, GL, and RP all shed less virus than their corresponding placebo groups, significantly so in the cases of GL and RP. Clinical reactions were also less severe in volunteers treated with RP.