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Hopeaphenol inhibits entry of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern into cells

A new study, released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, reports promising results with the natural product hopeaphenol, which successfully prevented the entry of the virus into host cells.

3 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2’s distinctive "spike" protein plays a key role in the disease itself, shows study

Scientists have known for a while that SARS-CoV-2's distinctive "spike" proteins help the virus infect its host by latching on to healthy cells. Now, a major new study shows that they also play a key role in the disease itself.

3 May 2021

Researchers develop a nanoparticle-based formulation with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity

A study recently published in the journal Matter has demonstrated the development and validation of a nanoparticle-based formulation, capable of completely inhibiting the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection blocking the interaction between viral spike protein and host cell angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

3 May 2021

Scientists design 'smart' cellular biosensors for detecting SARS-CoV-2 spike

New research led by Hana El-Samad of the University of California, San Francisco, and the Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub confirmed the beneficial use of an antiviral therapeutic called SARSNotch, which uses a combination of the SynNotch platform and de-novo designed protein binders. SARSNotch uses sentinel T cells to detect and mount a genetic response toward the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein.

28 Apr 2021

Researchers design "nanotraps" to capture and destroy SARS-CoV-2 viruses

Researchers at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago have designed a completely novel potential treatment for COVID-19: nanoparticles that capture SARS-CoV-2 viruses within the body and then use the body's own immune system to destroy it.

27 Apr 2021

Host cell transmembrane protein MARCH8 targets lysine residues to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses

A new study deals with the inhibitory activity of a membrane protein that has broad-spectrum activity against multiple viruses, showing that this is due to its effect on cytoplasmic lysine residue incorporation into replicating virions.

26 Apr 2021

Potential new COVID vaccine from Australia

Phase 1 trial results published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases found a new subunit vaccine —an MF59-adjuvanted subunit vaccine using recombinant spike glycoprotein stabilized in a prefusion conformation by a novel molecular clamp — targeting the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was safe and effective in producing an antigen-specific response in healthy adults.

26 Apr 2021

Preclinical study from NIH/Moderna: Correlates of SARS-CoV-2 immunity in non-human primates

Researchers in the United States have shown that the antibody response induced by the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a correlate of immune protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in non-human primates.

22 Apr 2021

B.1.1.7 variant 45% more infectious than wild-type SARS-CoV-2, but can be effectively contained by BNT162b2 vaccine

The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant, also called the UK variant, was identified in London as well as in Southeast and East of England in December 2020. Since its emergence, the UK variant has undergone several mutations that have been said to have altered its infectivity and transmissibility in the community. The B.1.1.7 variant is defined by 17 mutations, several of which are located in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that mediates viral attachment and entry into human cells.

21 Apr 2021

Can an immunosuppressive cancer drug promote SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells?

A new study shows that rapamycin, an immunosuppressive drug used in some cancers, and its analogs, may have an undesirable effect on viral entry into the host cells. This finding could inform their use to treat symptomatic COVID-19.

20 Apr 2021

Just one mRNA vaccine dose sufficient for people with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection

A small study, previously posted to the medRiv preprint server in early March, was recently published in the journal Science Immunology. The now peer-reviewed research led by E. John Wherry of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine finds people previously exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) produced a more robust immune response after receiving the first — but not the second mRNA vaccine.

19 Apr 2021

COVID-19 vaccine INO-4800 shows efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 variants

Researchers in the United States have demonstrated the efficacy of the vaccine INO-4800 against variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Apr 2021

Nanobody cocktails neutralize SARS-CoV-2 and variants

Researchers report a collection of nanobodies derived from llamas, some of which can work synergistically and work against newer virus variants.

12 Apr 2021

Broadly cross-reactive antibody to SARS-CoV-2 RBD with robust resistance to mutational escape

A new study addresses an urgent need – namely, a therapeutic antibody directed specifically against a key SARS-CoV-2 antigen which is highly conserved among similar viruses, and is not easily bypassed by viral escape mutations.

12 Apr 2021

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine ensures long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggests study

A recent report published in the New England Journal of Medicine has revealed that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna, Inc, USA, is capable of inducing robust and durable antibody responses for at least six months post-vaccination.

8 Apr 2021

The interaction between blood clotting and SARS-CoV-2 infection

Coagulopathy - a condition in which the blood's ability to clot is impaired, is recognized as a significant aspect of morbidity in COVID-19 patients. In a recent study, Prof Lewis Cantley and a team of researchers explored the role of coagulation factors in the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Their recent study is posted on the bioRxiv server.

7 Apr 2021

Which SARS-CoV-2 spike mutants can evade T cell immunity?

A new study reports the capability of a new variant of the virus to escape specific cellular immunity, while possessing a higher binding affinity to the host cell binding receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

7 Apr 2021

Novel hydrogel-based vaccine formulation shows high efficacy against SARS-CoV-2

A fascinating new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv* server discusses impressively high neutralizing responses elicited with a single dose of a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine formulation, which could help turn the tide of the current pandemic if validated.

6 Apr 2021

Researchers Identify potent small molecule inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2

A team of scientists from the USA and Sweden has recently screened 8 million small molecule inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2.

5 Apr 2021

Researchers develop novel nanoadjuvant COVID-19 vaccine candidate

Researchers at the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), introduced a new vaccine, which compromises the spike protein’s receptor-binding domain (RBD) and the manganese nanoadjuvant (MnARK), inducing humoral and cellular responses.

29 Mar 2021

Pseudovirus News and Research

Hopeaphenol inhibits entry of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern into cells

SARS-CoV-2’s distinctive "spike" protein plays a key role in the disease itself, shows study

Researchers develop a nanoparticle-based formulation with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity

Scientists design 'smart' cellular biosensors for detecting SARS-CoV-2 spike

Researchers design "nanotraps" to capture and destroy SARS-CoV-2 viruses

Host cell transmembrane protein MARCH8 targets lysine residues to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses

Potential new COVID vaccine from Australia

Preclinical study from NIH/Moderna: Correlates of SARS-CoV-2 immunity in non-human primates

B.1.1.7 variant 45% more infectious than wild-type SARS-CoV-2, but can be effectively contained by BNT162b2 vaccine

Can an immunosuppressive cancer drug promote SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells?

Just one mRNA vaccine dose sufficient for people with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection

COVID-19 vaccine INO-4800 shows efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 variants

Nanobody cocktails neutralize SARS-CoV-2 and variants

Broadly cross-reactive antibody to SARS-CoV-2 RBD with robust resistance to mutational escape

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine ensures long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggests study

The interaction between blood clotting and SARS-CoV-2 infection

Which SARS-CoV-2 spike mutants can evade T cell immunity?

Novel hydrogel-based vaccine formulation shows high efficacy against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers Identify potent small molecule inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers develop novel nanoadjuvant COVID-19 vaccine candidate

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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