Method for Identifying Inhibitors Against Dengue Virus

1 . Method for identifying inhibitors against dengue viruses serotypes 1, 2, 3 or 4 by screening chemical compounds or chemical compound libraries comprising:

a) bringing about 1000 to 2000 Vero cells or Huh 7.5 cells into contact with a chemical compound,

b) adding dengue virus to said cells and chemical compound of step a),

c) incubating said cells, chemical compound and virus of step b) at 37° C. until viral cytopathic effect (CPE) in the virus control reaches about 100%,

d) adding luciferase enzyme and luciferase substrate to the cells, compound, virus,

e) measuring the luminescence and calculating the EC 50 value, wherein the EC 50 value correlates with the inhibitory activity of the compound against dengue virus.

2 . Method according to claim 1 wherein the dengue virus is Dengue Virus subtype 2 and the cells are about 1500 Vero cells.

3 . Method according to claim 1 wherein the dengue virus is Dengue Virus subtype 1, 3 or 4 and the cells are Huh 7.5 cells.

4 . Method according to claim 1 wherein the dengue virus has a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0, preferably 0.1.

5 . Method according to claim 1 wherein the dengue virus has a multiplicity of infection (MOI) between 1.0 and 10.0.

6 . Method according to claim 1 wherein step c) is about 5 or 6 days.

7 . Method according to claim 1 wherein the luciferase substrate is D-Luciferin.

8 . Method according to claim 1 wherein the method is performed in a high throughput mode.