SARS-CoV-2 Mimic Peptides Blocking Spike Receptor Binding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current antiviral peptides for SARS-CoV-2 lack specificity and effectiveness in inhibiting the virus's interaction with the ACE-2 receptor, leading to potential resistance development by the virus, and there is a need for novel therapies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Innovation Solution
Development of mimic peptides with specific amino acid sequences (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 3 and SEQ ID NO: 4) that bind to the S1 spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, either alone or conjugated with nanoparticles, to competitively inhibit the virus's binding to the ACE-2 receptor, potentially forming peptide complexes for enhanced efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current antiviral peptides are used, then they provide general antiviral activity, but they lack specificity and effectiveness in inhibiting the virus's interaction with the ACE-2 receptor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates peptide mimics that copy the critical binding interface of the ACE-2 receptor. These peptides replicate the specific amino acid sequence and structural features that normally interact with the viral spike protein, allowing them to competitively inhibit viral binding without requiring the full complexity of the actual receptor
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific parameters of the peptide sequence, including amino acid composition, length, and structural conformation, to maximize binding affinity to the viral spike protein while maintaining specificity for the ACE-2 interaction interface. This parameter optimization ensures high effectiveness in blocking viral entry
2Productivity
If peptide inhibitors are designed based on genomic sequence without targeting specific interactions, then they can be developed quickly, but they lack the precision to effectively block the ACE-2 receptor interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical functional elements from the ACE-2 receptor structure - specifically the amino acid residues that directly interact with the viral spike protein - and uses these extracted sequences as the basis for designing the peptide mimics. This extraction approach maintains development speed while achieving high specificity
Solution Approach 2:
The peptide mimics serve as intermediary molecules that mediate between the viral spike protein and the ACE-2 receptor. These peptides act as decoy intermediaries that bind to the viral protein, preventing the actual virus-receptor interaction without requiring direct modification of either the virus or the full receptor structure
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides peptides and conjugates thereof, as ACE-2 and S1 subunit mimicking peptides for the prevention and control of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2) infection by preventing the binding of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 to the target cells.