This technology is a group of inhibitory peptides that target the SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) protein to block viral replication, therefore offering a therapeutic strategy to combat emerging COVID-19 variants by disrupting viral assembly and function.
Despite advancements in SARS-CoV-2 therapies, the emergence of new viral variants has exposed limitations in current treatments. Existing targets, including the spike protein, escape vaccines and therapeutics with mutations. As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve, there is an urgent need for treatments that target more stable components of the virus that remain conserved across variants.
This technology describes inhibitory peptides specifically designed to block the function of the SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) protein to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The E protein is crucial for viral assembly, replication, and release from infected cells. Thus, by targeting the E protein’s ion channel function, these peptides effectively disrupt the virus’s ability to replicate and spread. Unlike therapies focused on the spike protein, which is prone to mutations, this peptide targets a more conserved region of the virus, offering broader protection against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
This technology has been validated in in vitro studies in mammalian cells and in vivo in mice.
Masayuki Yazawa, Ph.D.
Patent Pending(WO/2023/ 200858)
IR CU22291, CU21015
Licensing Contact: Kristin Neuman