Insilico Medicine Inc. has received IND clearance from China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for ISM-3312, an orally available 3CLpro inhibitor for the treatment of COVID-19. ISM-3312 has a novel molecular structure and was optimized from compounds designed by Chemistry42, Insilico’s generative chemistry AI platform.

An international team of researchers has created two bat stem cell lines that reveal an unusual number of viral sequences in bat cells compared with those of other mammals. Writing in an article posted online Feb. 21, 2023, in Cell, the scientists suggested that the unusual amount of viral genetic material found in the bat stem cells could explain why these mammals are largely unaffected by most viral infections, despite being able to transmit them.

The emergence of new variants of concern (VOCs) of SARS-CoV-2 may limit the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies and vaccines currently used in the clinic.

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. has exercised an option to obtain an exclusive license from Columbia University for the development of a portfolio of fully human (TNX-3600) and murine (TNX-4100) monoclonal antibodies for the treatment or prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Scientists at the University of Sydney have discovered a protein in the lung that blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection and forms a natural protective barrier in the human body. Leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 15 (LRRC15) is an inbuilt receptor that binds the SARS-CoV-2 virus without passing on the infection. The discovery opens a new area of immunology research around LRRC15 and suggests a pathway to develop new drugs to prevent viral infection from coronaviruses like COVID-19, but also to deal with fibrosis in the lungs.

Researchers from Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz) have evaluated kinetin (MB-905) as an antiviral against SARS-CoV-2.