Scientists discover a mechanism to increase the body’s natural virus defenses.

Washington State University (WSU) researchers have discovered how to amplify a previously unknown natural antiviral defence pathway, significantly increasing cellular resistance to viral infection. Published in Cell Communication and Signaling on 20 October 2026, the ISG15-driven mechanism was demonstrated against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), with unpublished data extending to influenza A and parainfluenza. WSU has an active option-to-license agreement with a biotechnology company to progress antiviral therapeutic development.

The research centres on ISG15, a protein known to be induced internally by cells during viral infection but with unclear extracellular function. Lead author Professor Santanu Bose and his team at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine discovered that extracellular ISG15 can act as a “booster” to activate a previously unknown antiviral pathway, preparing surrounding cells to resist infection before viral spread. The mechanism (Integrin-FAK signalling dependent non-canonical ISGylation by extracellular ISG15) is naturally activated at low levels during infection; artificially amplifying the response with recombinant ISG15 made cells significantly more resistant to infection, with the host-directed approach potentially less vulnerable to viral mutation-based evasion.

WSU’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship team is pursuing patent protection and has an active option-to-license agreement with an unnamed biotechnology company for further development. The pathway’s broader applicability spans cancer and neurological disorders as additional non-infectious therapeutic settings. The discovery sharpens competitive positioning across RSV vaccine specialists GSK (Arexvy), Pfizer (Abrysvo), Moderna (mRESVIA), Sanofi/AstraZeneca (Beyfortus – nirsevimab) and Merck (Enflonsia – clesrovimab), alongside antiviral franchises Gilead (Veklury – remdesivir), Pfizer (Paxlovid), Shionogi (Xocova) and Merck (Lagevrio – molnupiravir). Host-directed therapy platforms offer differentiated commercial territory against conventional direct-acting antiviral approaches.

The commercial signal is a differentiated host-directed antiviral therapeutic category where ISG15 pathway amplification offers mutation-resistant alternative to conventional direct-acting antivirals. The active option-to-license agreement signals near-term biotech commercialisation potential. Expect GSK, Pfizer, Moderna, Sanofi, Merck, Gilead and host-directed therapy specialists to monitor ISG15 pathway development across RSV, influenza, cancer and neurological applications through 2027 and 2028.

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