STTR Phase I: Designer peptide opsonins against COVID-19

这个小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种新的治疗SARS-CoV-2病毒引起的COVID-19。 这项拟议中的技术是一种新型治疗方法，专门针对冠状病毒并在其表面组装，使病毒失去感染性。这种治疗方法可能会保护轻度至中度症状的COVID-19患者，使其免于恶化并可能传播病毒。这种疗法以后也可能使无症状或未感染的高危人群受益。这个小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目将研究病原体（如COVID-19病毒（SARS-CoV-2））表面自组装肽（SAP）的超分子组装性质及其对病原体的损伤和免疫识别的影响。自组装肽比非功能化肽具有更大的稳定性，但它们比抗体小20倍。因此，它们可以将抗体和小分子的关键益处联合收割机结合起来，从而实现为快速和负担得起的广泛开发急需的疗法而设计的新模式。 目前的再利用努力受到缺乏特异性的限制，而SARS-CoV-2特异性的努力主要是抗体或蛋白质，这些抗体或蛋白质难以大规模快速生产。我们将：（1）设计功能化的抗COVID-19 SAP并研究其与SARS-CoV-2病毒刺突蛋白受体结合结构域（RBD）的结合动力学;（2）研究抗COVID-19 SAP抑制病毒感染的体外功效;以及（3）建立SAP的体外细胞相容性和体内剂量范围耐受性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，

The broader impact / commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to develop a new therapeutic for the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19. The proposed technology is a novel therapeutic engineered to specifically target the coronavirus and assemble on its surface, disabling the virus’ infectivity. This therapeutic will potentially protect COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms from worsening and possibly transmitting the virus. The therapy may later benefit asymptomatic or non-infected high-risk groups as well. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will study the nature of supramolecular assembly of self-assembled peptides (SAPs) on the surface of pathogens such as the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) and its impact on the impairment and immune recognition of the pathogen. Self-assembled peptides have greater stability than unfunctionalized peptides, yet they are twenty times smaller than antibodies. Therefore, they may combine key benefits of antibodies and small molecules, enabling a new modality designed for rapid and affordable widespread development of urgently needed therapies. Current repurposing efforts are limited by a lack of specificity, while SARS-CoV-2-specific efforts are dominated by antibodies or proteins that are challenging to rapidly manufacture at scale. We will: (1) engineer functionalized anti-COVID-19 SAPs and studying their binding kinetics to the SARS-CoV-2 viral spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD); (2) investigate the in vitro efficacy of anti-COVID-19 SAPs in inhibiting viral infection; and (3) establish the in vitro cytocompatibility and in vivo dose range tolerability of the SAPs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.