Coronaviridae

Cocrystal’s Lead COVID-19 Antiviral CDI-45205 Shown to be Active Against SARS-CoV-2 and Two Prominent SARS-CoV-2 Variants

Retrieved on: 
Monday, June 14, 2021
Coronaviridae, Sarbecovirus, Antiviral drugs, Branches of biology, Health sciences, Zoonoses, 3C-like protease, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Remdesivir, COVID-19, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

CDI-45205 and its analogs showed excellent antiviral activity against both SARS-CoV-2 variants, surpassing the activity observed with SARS-CoV-2 (Wuhan strain).

Key Points: 
  • CDI-45205 and its analogs showed excellent antiviral activity against both SARS-CoV-2 variants, surpassing the activity observed with SARS-CoV-2 (Wuhan strain).
  • Two reference inhibitors including remdesivir, an FDA-approved SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor, and PF-00835231, another SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease inhibitor, were included in the study as comparators.
  • We are highly encouraged by these results with CDI-45205 against SARS-CoV-2 and two prominent variants of SARS-CoV-2, and we intend to continue with further testing for antiviral activity against other emerging variants including the Indian variant, said Sam Lee, Ph.D., Cocrystals President and interim co-CEO.
  • We believe these new data suggest our protease inhibitor may be an effective treatment of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 and its emerging variants.

NYU Langone Health to Co-Lead NIH-funded Effort to Understand Long-term Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 10, 2021
Coronaviridae, Sarbecovirus, Respiratory diseases, Animal diseases, COVID-19, Long Covid, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Severe acute respiratory syndrome, PASC, NYU Langone Health

NEW YORK, June 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NYU Langone Health has been selected as the Clinical Science Core (CSC) for the National Institutes of Health's PASC (Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection) Initiative.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, June 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NYU Langone Health has been selected as the Clinical Science Core (CSC) for the National Institutes of Health's PASC (Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection) Initiative.
  • Congress provided $1.15 billion in funding over four years for NIH to support research into the prolonged health consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in December of 2020.
  • How many people continue to have symptoms of COVID-19, or even develop new symptoms, after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection?
  • The PASC CSC at NYU Langone Health (NIH funding no.

Ossianix Announces Publication of Positive Preclinical Data on Neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 Infection with a Panel of Single Domain Shark VNAR Antibodies

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 10, 2021
Coronaviridae, Medical specialties, Zoonoses, Branches of biology, Sarbecovirus, Glycoproteins, Immunology, Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Single-domain antibody, Antibody, COVID-19

The trial tested a panel of ten VNAR antibodies that blocked the interaction of the spike protein with its receptor ACE2 and effectively neutralized the SARS-CoV-2 virus in vitro.

Key Points: 
  • The trial tested a panel of ten VNAR antibodies that blocked the interaction of the spike protein with its receptor ACE2 and effectively neutralized the SARS-CoV-2 virus in vitro.
  • "The fight to control the COVID-19 pandemic will require a broad range of therapeutic approaches," said Dr. Frank S. Walsh , CEO of Ossianix.
  • "Vaccination is the primary strategy, but therapeutic antibodies will also have an important role to play in treating the infection.
  • Shark single-domain VNAR antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are potent therapeutics and complement the human IgG approaches.

Twist Bioscience Begins Shipping of Synthetic RNA Controls for Kappa (B.1.617.1) SARS-CoV-2 Variants for Development of Accurate Tests

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Health, Infectious diseases, Technology, Nanotechnology, Research, Science, Biotechnology, Coronaviridae, Sarbecovirus, Zoonoses, Variants of SARS-CoV-2, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Lineage B.1.617, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Lineage B.1.526, Kappa variant of COVID-19

The company is also working on controls for the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) and B.1.617.3 variants.

Key Points: 
  • The company is also working on controls for the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) and B.1.617.3 variants.
  • Unfortunately, India is experiencing a massive outbreak and overwhelming challenge with new viral variants and a largely unvaccinated population.
  • The Twist synthetic controls are designed based on specific SARS-CoV-2 variants, cover the full viral genome and are sequence-verified.
  • For customers interested in alternative variants of SARS-CoV-2, or synthetic RNA or DNA controls for other sequences, Twist can provide custom controls in multiple formats.

ECDC releases new dashboard on SARS-CoV-2 variants

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 20, 2021
Coronaviridae, Variants of SARS-CoV-2, Sarbecovirus, Zoonoses, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Lineage B.1.617, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Lineage B.1.1.7

Data for the most recent reporting week have been excluded, as they may be incomplete.

Key Points: 
  • Data for the most recent reporting week have been excluded, as they may be incomplete.
  • The proportion of variants is only reliable when sequencing capacity is adequate (500 or 10% of total samples).
  • For TESSy data, no proportion of variants has been estimated where there is no reliable denominator available.
  • In addition, SARS-CoV-2 lineages B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2, and B.1.617.3, first reported in India in December 2020, have been increasingly detected in other countries.

Clover Announces Positive Preclinical Data for Second-Generation Protein-Based COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Demonstrating Broad Neutralization Against Variants of Concern

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Variants of SARS-CoV-2, Coronaviridae, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 vaccines, Clinical trials, Sarbecovirus, Zoonoses, COVID-19 vaccine, Medical research, Lineage P.1, Lineage B.1.351, Lineage B.1.1.7

B.1.351 S-Trimer demonstrated broad neutralization against the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and variants of concern, specifically the South African variant (B.1.351), Brazil variant (P.1), and UK variant (B.1.1.7).

Key Points: 
  • B.1.351 S-Trimer demonstrated broad neutralization against the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and variants of concern, specifically the South African variant (B.1.351), Brazil variant (P.1), and UK variant (B.1.1.7).
  • Clover is at the forefront of vaccine R&D utilizing our proprietary Trimer-Tag technology and is the first company to disclose preclinical data demonstrating that a modified protein-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate can potentially induce broad neutralization against the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and variants of concern," said Joshua Liang, Chief Executive Officer of Clover Biopharmaceuticals.
  • As the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates and additional data emerges, we are prepared to innovate and develop next-generation COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Any forward-looking statement made by us in this document speaks only as of the date on which it is made.

CDC: Surface Disinfection Is "Hygiene Theater" -- PuraFil Shares Why Efforts Should Be Aimed at Mitigating Risk of Airborne COVID Transmission

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Coronaviridae, Sarbecovirus, Health, Medical specialties, Occupational safety and health, Zoonoses, Bat virome, Severe acute respiratory syndrome, COVID-19, Transmission of COVID-19, Science diplomacy and pandemics

According to the CDC\'s recently updated (April 5) guidance on COVID spread, "surface transmission is not the main route by which SARS-CoV-2 spreads, and the risk is considered to be low."

Key Points: 
  • According to the CDC\'s recently updated (April 5) guidance on COVID spread, "surface transmission is not the main route by which SARS-CoV-2 spreads, and the risk is considered to be low."
  • In fact, the CDC states "contact with a contaminated surface has less than a 1 in 10,000 chance of causing an infection.
  • "\nThose odds are just slightly higher than your lifetime risk of being struck by lightning ( 1 in 15,300 ).
  • Despite these low odds, many don\'t seem to be making major changes to their infection prevention protocols.

Altimmune Announces New Preclinical Data for AdCOVID™ Demonstrating Sterilizing Immunity After a Single Intranasal Dose

Retrieved on: 
Monday, May 10, 2021
Coronaviridae, Biotechnology, Vaccination, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Vaccines, Life sciences, Articles, COVID-19 vaccines

In this study, a single intranasal dose of AdCOVID provided sterilizing immunity in the lungs of vaccinated mice, in contrast to the development of dense pulmonary infection and disease in the lungs of non-vaccinated mice following infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Key Points: 
  • In this study, a single intranasal dose of AdCOVID provided sterilizing immunity in the lungs of vaccinated mice, in contrast to the development of dense pulmonary infection and disease in the lungs of non-vaccinated mice following infection with SARS-CoV-2.
  • AdCOVID is a novel, single-dose intranasal vaccine candidate for COVID-19.\n\xe2\x80\x9cThese latest data are very exciting, as they confirm and expand upon the numerous potential advantages of our differentiated intranasal vaccine approach,\xe2\x80\x9d said Scot Roberts, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Altimmune.
  • \xe2\x80\x9cIn the current study, we found a heavy burden of infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus in the lungs of non-vaccinated mice following challenge with the virus.
  • Roberts continued, \xe2\x80\x9cThese data suggest that a single intranasal vaccination with AdCOVID may provide sterilizing immunity that neutralizes infectious virus, which is believed to be the best way to block viral transmission.

Adagio Therapeutics Announces ADG20 Phase 1 Data and Initiation of Global Phase 2/3 Clinical Trial of ADG20 for the Prevention of COVID-19

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical, Health, Clinical trials, Medical specialties, Coronaviridae, Medicine, Sarbecovirus, COVID-19 vaccines, Clinical trials, COVID-19, Public health, Zoonoses, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Severe acute respiratory syndrome, Neutralizing antibody, ADG20, Adagio Therapeutics, ADG20, ADAGIO THERAPEUTICS

Trial initiation is supported bypositive preliminary data from the company\xe2\x80\x99s ongoing Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers.

Key Points: 
  • Trial initiation is supported bypositive preliminary data from the company\xe2\x80\x99s ongoing Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers.
  • The Phase 1 trial was designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and serum SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody levels of various ADG20 dose regimens.
  • Adagio is advancing ADG20 through multiple clinical trials on a global basis.\nAdagio is developing best-in-class antibodies that can broadly neutralize SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and additional pre-emergent coronaviruses.
  • Adagio has secured manufacturing capacity for the production of ADG20 with third-party contract manufacturers through the completion of clinical trials and, if approved by regulatory authorities, through initial commercial launch.

Paragon Genomics Highlights Year of Rapid Growth Fueled by Broad Acceptance of Its CleanPlex® SARS-CoV-2 Research and Surveillance Products

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Coronaviridae, Sarbecovirus, Zoonoses, Bat virome, Variants of SARS-CoV-2, Severe acute respiratory syndrome, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Illumina, Inc., COVID-20

"\nParagon Genomics\' CleanPlex SARS-CoV-2 technology has powered variant detection and tracking since the virus first appeared.

Key Points: 
  • "\nParagon Genomics\' CleanPlex SARS-CoV-2 technology has powered variant detection and tracking since the virus first appeared.
  • In March 2020, the company launched the CleanPlex SARS-CoV-2 Panel whole genome SARS-CoV-2 sequencing on Illumina and MGI Tech sequencing platforms.
  • "\nParagon Genomics CleanPlex SARS-CoV-2 Emerging Variant Panel Add-On is designed to be used with existing CleanPlex SARS-CoV-2 products to maintain uniform genomic coverage for variant calling and identification.
  • The company designs and manufactures high performance and ultra-multiplexed amplicon NGS library preparation products for analyzing difficult, clinically relevant samples.