The world is emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, as both cases and deaths have remained consistently low in recent months, despite continuous mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Nevertheless, there is a shuffling of candidates in the arsenal as new variants bump once-effective therapies and the next generation of options enter the arena.
Quantbiores A/S has discovered peptides acting as spike glycoprotein (S) (SARS-CoV-2)/ACE2 interaction inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (COVID-19).
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Aldeyra, Ascletis, Buchang, Capstone, Caribou, Genentech, Gilead, Kala, Novavax, Remd, Sofie.
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Atea, Biovie, Hansa, Inversago, Mebias, Mirum, Netris, Tyra.
Texas A&M University System has discovered 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro) (SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 virus) and cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Biondvax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has reported statistically significant efficacy results from an in vivo proof-of-concept study of its innovative inhaled nanosized antibody (NanoAb) COVID-19 therapy.
Investigators at the University of Bristol and Biognos AB have identified a structural feature that distinguished the deadly coronavirus strains from harmless, common cold-causing variants. The findings, which were published in the Nov. 23, 2022, issue of Science Advances, could form the basis of universal COVID antivirals, putting an end to the endless race to deal with new variants that has so far been a necessity.
The researchers showed that the same pocket, a binding site for linoleic acid (LA), was present in all variants of concern (VOCs) that have emerged since 2020. “Intriguingly, all SARS-CoV-2 VOCs stringently maintain this pocket, notably including Omicron, which accumulated a wide range of mutations in [the spike protein] elsewhere, suggesting that the pocket provides a selective advantage for the virus,” they wrote in their paper.