Scientists find a way to fight the COVID infection
Based on the findings, the team initiated a human clinical trial of stapled lipopeptide – made by chemically stabilizing a key coronavirus peptide.
New York: Scientists have identified compounds that hinder the ‘landing gear’ of a range of harmful viruses and could successfully protect against infection by the virus that causes Covid-19. If the compound, called a stapled lipopeptide, proves effective as a nasal spray in the trial, it could be the basis for a new drug modality to prevent or treat Covid-19, said the team from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the US .
Based on the findings, the team initiated a human clinical trial of stapled lipopeptide – made by chemically stabilizing a key coronavirus peptide
Because such compounds thwart a mechanism that many viruses use to enter and infect cells, stapled lipopeptides could also be effective against dangerous and potentially fatal viruses such as RSV, Ebola and Nipah, the team wrote in the paper published in the journal Nature Communications.
“While vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and small molecule drugs have played a critical role in protecting people from life-threatening Covid-19 infections, a critical gap remains in the treatment arsenal,” said Loren Walensky, physician and principal investigator at Dana. -Farber/Boston Center for Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders.
“The continued evolution of the virus and the emergence of new variants have significantly reduced the effectiveness of immune-based approaches, requiring periodic reformulation of vaccines. What has been missing are fast-acting, easy-to-administer, and resistance-resistant drugs that can be used before or after exposure to the virus to prevent infection or immediately reduce symptoms. Our study is an encouraging indication that stapled lipopeptides offer that potential,” Walensky added.
Unlike mRNA vaccines, which are a form of immune-based therapy that provides delayed protection and also requires periodic administration due to viral mutation and/or waning immunity, the stapled lipopeptides developed by Walensky’s laboratory act directly on SARS-CoV -2, the coronavirus responsible for Covid-19, disrupting its ability to infect healthy cells.
Because this approach does not use the immune system as an intermediary, it is especially promising for people with weakened immune systems, either as a result of their disease or from treatment with immunosuppressants such as chemotherapy.
Walensky’s laboratory has been a pioneer in the development and application of stapled peptides for almost twenty years. These unique agents consist of natural peptides – a series of amino acids in a specific order – whose bioactive structure is chemically stabilized by an installed ‘stacking component’ and, in this case, further linked to a lipid, which is believed to help the concentrate staple fibers. peptide at the site of viral infection – the membrane surface of the otherwise healthy cell.
The new study shows that stapled lipopeptides are exceptionally stable and can withstand extreme temperatures and chemical conditions, an important characteristic for persistence both inside and outside the body.
The design strategy not only prevents the breakdown of peptides in the body after administration, but also addresses previous shipping and storage issues, such as the cold chain requirement for Covid-19 vaccines.