Effect of Vandetanib on Andes virus survival in the hamster model of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

•Assessment of Vandetanib on HPS progression in Syrian hamster model.•Vandetanib treatment had a modest effect on the timing of the disease progression.•Vandetanib treatment reduced the overall volume of pleural effusion fluid.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a severe disease caused by hantavirus infection of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells leading to microvascular leakage, pulmonary edema, pleural effusion and high case fatality. Previously, we demonstrated that Andes virus (ANDV) infection caused up-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and concomitant downregulation of the cellular adhesion molecule VE-cadherin leading to increased permeability. Analyses of human HPS-patient sera have further demonstrated increased circulating levels of VEGF. Here we investigate the impact of a small molecule antagonist of the VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) activation in vitro, and overall impact on survival in the Syrian hamster model of HPS.