根據一項最先研究報道，幾種候選小分子物質，具有防護使用肉毒桿菌神經毒素作為生物武器進行恐怖襲擊的作用。

美國Scripps研究院(La Jolla, CA, USA)和Wisconsin大學(Madison, WI, USA)的研究人員，鑒別了2種化合物并檢測了它們對暴露于毒素的細胞培養和小鼠的作用。這兩種化合物結構令人驚奇的簡單，十分有利于進行改造以提高生物活性。其中一種化合物將暴露于毒素小鼠的存活時間提高了36%(從484分鐘增加到659分鐘)。使用第二種化合物的動物有16%沒有出現明顯的肉毒桿菌中毒癥狀。這兩種化合物在細胞檢測時顯得活性很小，提示標準的細胞培養為基礎的篩選方法，可能會遺漏有前景的治療候選藥物。這兩種化合物都沒有觀察到顯著的副作用。
 
New Compounds Show Promise Against Bioweapon Toxins
 
Several small molecule candidates have the potential to provide protection against a possible bioterrorism attack using botulinum neurotoxins, according to a new study.

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute (La Jolla, CA, USA) and the University of Wisconsin (Madison, WI, USA) identified the two compounds and tested their efficacy in both cell-based assays and in mice exposed to the toxin. The two compounds have surprisingly simple molecular structures and are readily amenable to optimization efforts for improvements in their biologic activity. One of the compounds extended survival time of the exposed mice by 36% (from 484 minutes to 659 minutes). Moreover, 16% of the animals treated with the second molecule survived with no obvious symptoms of botulism. The two compounds showed little activity in cellular assays, suggesting that standard cell-based screening methods may miss promising therapeutic candidates. No significant side effects were observed with either molecule.