Antisense PMO Oligomer Inhibits Coronavirus Replication
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is an urgent need for effective antiviral agents to prevent the replication of coronaviruses, particularly SARS-CoV-2, as current treatments and vaccines are not available or are insufficient.
Innovation Solution
The development of a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) with an antisense sequence specific to a portion of the coronavirus genome, which can be used to inhibit viral replication by binding to complementary sequences on the mRNA.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer with antisense sequence is used to inhibit viral replication, then viral replication is suppressed, but the complexity of the antiviral agent increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure parameters of the oligomer by using phosphorodiamidate linkages instead of conventional phosphodiester linkages, and by incorporating morpholino rings instead of ribose sugars. These parameter changes enhance the stability and antiviral activity while maintaining manageable synthesis complexity through established chemical methodologies.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and targets a specific antisense sequence from the coronavirus genome (the 5' untranslated region) to design a complementary PMO. By focusing on this specific viral region, the agent achieves targeted viral replication suppression without requiring complexity in targeting multiple viral components.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the PMO binds to complementary sequences on viral mRNA to block translation, then viral protein production is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing the PMO with specific base pairing characteristics tailored to the target viral mRNA sequence. The morpholino bases are positioned to provide optimal complementarity and binding affinity at the 5' untranslated region, achieving effective blocking with controlled sequence design rather than requiring high precision throughout the entire viral genome.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The PMO effectively suppresses viral replication of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, by blocking translation of viral mRNA, thereby reducing the production of viral proteins and progeny.
Implementation Method 1
a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) with an antisense sequence specific to a portion of the coronavirus genome, which can be used to inhibit viral replication by binding to complementary sequences on the mRNA
Data Source
AI summary
An antiviral agent is provided, having a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer with an antisense sequence to a portion of a genome of a strain of a coronavirus. The coronavirus may be SARS-CoV-2 or another βCoV. The antiviral agent finds many uses, such as in a pharmaceutical composition, a method of treating coronavirus-mediated disease, a method of preventing coronavirus-mediated disease, a method of reducing or preventing the replication of coronavirus in a host cell, a method of controlling the spread of coronavirus in donated tissue, a treated tissue sample, and in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment or prevention or coronavirus-mediated disease.