U of T researchers create mirror-image peptides that can neutralize SARS-CoV-2
Researchers at the University of Toronto have created chemical compounds that can neutralize SARS-CoV-2 and several of its variants.
In a recent paper published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, the researchers report the creation of D-peptides that neutralize the virus and stop infection of cultured human cells.
Known as mirror-image peptides, the compounds have chemical properties that make them suitable for the development of low-cost antiviral therapeutics.
“A big advantage of mirror-image peptides is their long stability and that they are relatively cheap to produce,” says Philip Kim, senior author of the study and a professor of molecular genetics and computer science at the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research at U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
Peptides are similar to proteins in that they are composed of the same amino-acids building blocks. But they are smaller than protein molecules. They can be designed to bind virtually any molecular target and with a greater specificity than small-molecule drugs, reducing the risk of side effects. In this way, peptides are similar to antibodies but are at least 100 times cheaper to produce thanks to their small size. The combination of low cost and easy scaling of manufacturing makes peptides attractive, particularly for low-income countries.
