The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, has awarded Vir Biotechnology Inc. approximately $50 million in new funding to advance the development of novel monoclonal antibody (MAb) candidates and delivery solutions to widen the applicability of MAbs in COVID-19 and in pandemic preparedness and response.
Complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) are relatively short peptide loops in antibodies where they bind to their specific antigens. Bovines, unlike humans and other vertebrates, rely on ultralong CDR H3 antibody knob regions to neutralize cryptic viral epitopes.
Modex Therapeutics Inc. has been awarded a contract from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to advance a platform and specific candidates designed to address a range of public health threats in viral infectious diseases.
Viruses of the Betacoronavirus genus that bind to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) are the coronaviruses posing the most significant pandemic risk. Sarbecoviruses of this genus caused the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic and the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Therefore, new vaccines with broader protection from ACE2-binding sarbecoviruses and emerging variants of concern are urgently needed.
TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) serves prominent innate immune functions via complex interactions with adaptor proteins to affect phosphorylation of NF-κB (NF-κB). TBK1 is at the nexus of multiple pathways connecting interferon pathway activation and this is ultimately beneficial or hyperinflammatory-pathological in the context of viral infections.
Westvac Biopharma Co. Ltd. has described keto amide derivatives acting as 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro; Mpro; nsp5) (SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 virus) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19).
Researchers at Ningbo Combireg Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd. and Versitech Ltd. have described benzothiazole compounds reported to be useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19).
Novel effective antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 are needed because of the emergence of novel variants and the potential risk of SARS-CoV-2/MERS-CoV recombination. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a promising antiviral target. Mpro presents a His41-Cys145 catalytic dyad in the central part of its active site, which confers a natural advantage for developing covalent drugs.
Research at Medshine Discovery Inc. has led to the development of 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro; Mpro; nsp5) (SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 virus) inhibitors potentially useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19).
