Invention can be developed as an inhibitor therapeutically or prophylactically against retroviral and non-retroviral infections, and can be used in combination with other anti-viral agents to treat patients who have drug-resistant virus.

The invention provides for a composition of an anti-viral polypeptide, Griffithsin, glycosylation-resistant Griffithsin, and related conjugates, compositions, nucleic acids, vectors, host cells, antibodies and methods of production and use. More specifically, Griffithsin inhibits viral binding, fusion and entry into the host cells by binding to viral envelope gp120. Thus, subject invention can be developed as an inhibitor therapeutically or prophylactically against retroviral infections including HIV-1 and HIV-2 as well as FIV, SIV, MLV, BLV, equine infectious virus, avian sarcoma viruses, and HTLV. Subject invention also can be developed as an inhibitor against non-retroviral infections such as influenza virus, including H5N1, SARS, Hepatitis C, and Ebola, measles, varicella, human herpes viruses and others. In addition, Griffithsin can be used in combination with other anti-viral agents to treat patients who have drug-resistant virus.

U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/741,403 filed 01 Dec 2005 (HHS Reference No. E-025-2006/0-US-01) Inventors: Barry R. O'Keefe et al. (NCI)

Licensees sought. In addition to licensing, the technology is available for further development through collaborative research opportunities with the inventors.