Multivalent vaccines that could improve SARS-CoV-2 immunity while also preventing infections by other viruses, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial viruses, constitute an urgent public health need. Currently approved vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are based solely on the spike protein, which provides limited immunity against variations in spike.
Nanjing Zhihe Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd. has described nucleotide derivatives acting as prodrugs reported to be useful for the treatment of viral infections.
Rnaimmune Inc., a nonwholly owned subsidiary of Sirnaomics Ltd., has received clearance from the FDA for its IND application to conduct a phase I trial for RV-1730, a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine booster candidate.
Additional early-stage research and drug discovery news in brief, from: Dragonfly Therapeutics, Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Kura Oncology, Telix Pharmaceuticals, Tonix Pharmaceuticals.
Additional early-stage research and drug discovery news in brief, from: Bioaegis Therapeutics, Evaxion Biotech, Jubilant Therapeutics, Sana Biotechnology.
Research at Pardes Biosciences Inc. has led to the identification of cysteine protease inhibitors, particularly 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro, Mpro, nsp5; SARS-CoV-2) and Mpro (HCoV-229E virus) inhibitors, reported to be useful for the treatment of viral infections.
Additional early-stage research and drug discovery news in brief, from: Alpha Cancer Technologies, Hillstream Biopharma, Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding.
A live-attenuated vaccine targeting SARS-CoV-2 infection, which can be administered through the nose, has shown promise in preclinical animal studies carried out by researchers in Berlin. In an article published April 3, 2023, in Nature Microbiology, the authors reported that the COVID-19 vaccine candidate – sCPD9 – triggered the most robust immune response in a hamster model when compared with Biontech/Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 and Ad2-Spike.
