Digestive Enzyme Prophylaxis for SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Cleavage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current COVID-19 prevention and treatment guidelines are unsustainable due to the lack of effective pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis agents other than vaccines, limited treatment options, and uncertainties surrounding vaccine safety and efficacy, particularly for vulnerable populations, leading to significant human loss, economic impact, and burden on healthcare systems.
Innovation Solution
A pharmaceutical composition comprising coated or uncoated digestive enzymes and their derivatives is used as a prophylaxis and treatment for coronavirus infections, targeting SARS-CoV-2 and the resulting disease COVID-19.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vaccines are used for COVID-19 prevention, then immunity is provided, but safety and efficacy uncertainties exist particularly for vulnerable populations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses digestive enzymes as an intermediary substance to prevent coronavirus infection. Instead of relying on vaccines that may have safety concerns for vulnerable populations, the invention introduces digestive enzymes that degrade the viral spike protein, providing a alternative mechanism for protection that does not require immune system activation like vaccines do.
2Reliability
If current prevention and treatment guidelines are followed, then some protection is provided, but significant human loss and economic impact occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by administering digestive enzymes before coronavirus infection occurs. This pre-exposure prophylaxis approach allows the enzymes to be present and active when the virus attempts to infect, degrading the spike protein before it can bind to host cells, thereby preventing infection before it starts rather than treating after infection occurs.
3Reliability
If vaccines are used for COVID-19 prevention, then herd immunity may be achieved, but burden on healthcare systems and economic impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces digestive enzymes as a mediator substance that directly interferes with the virus-host cell interaction. By degrading the viral spike protein, these enzymes provide a mechanism for protection that does not rely on mounting an immune response, thereby reducing the burden on healthcare systems for vaccine administration, monitoring, and managing vaccine-related adverse events.
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 use of digestive enzymes provides a potential alternative to vaccines, offering prophylactic and therapeutic benefits against COVID-19, addressing the limitations of existing treatments and vaccines, especially for high-risk individuals.
Implementation Method 1
The use of digestive enzymes provides a potential alternative to vaccines, offering prophylactic and therapeutic benefits against COVID-19
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for prophylaxis, treatment, and reduction of infection, re-infection, and transmission rates of Coronaviruses and more particularly Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) resulting from a SARS-CoV-2 viral infection with the use of a pharmaceutical preparation comprising one or more coated or uncoated digestive enzymes, such as pancreatic enzymes and porcine pancreatic enzymes are described herein.