Having caused over 6.2 million deaths globally ongoing, the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020 continues to pose a serious public health challenge. While the SARS-CoV-2 receptors angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 play requisite roles in permitting the initial infection, up to 10 proviral host factors have also been determined to play crucial roles in controlling the viral replication, but most are not pharmacologically targetable.
Scientists from the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute and collaborators have reported the application of a multispecific, multiaffinity antibody (Multabody, MB) platform derived from the human apoferritin protomer to enable the multimerization of antibody fragments against SARS-CoV-2. These MBs showed high potency to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 even at lower concentrations than their corresponding MAb counterparts.
Suzhou Spring-Sea Bio-Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. has prepared and tested prodrugs of N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC) that are reported to be useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19).
Insilico Medicine IP Ltd. has synthesized 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 from NYU Grossman School of Medicine reported on a new strategy intended to provide long-term protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus using an experimental decoy.
China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has given drug clinical trial approval for two new COVID-19 vaccines against the current XBB variants developed by Westvac Biopharma Co. Ltd. and West China Medical Center at Sichuan University.
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