Virologists Demonstrate Successful Treatment for SARS-CoV-2, the Virus That Causes COVID-19

Kansas State University researchers Kyeong-Ok “KC” Chang, left, and Yunjeong Kim have published a new study on a successful post-infection for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Credit: Kansas State University

A recent study by virologists at Kansas State University demonstrates successful post-infection treatment for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

College of Veterinary Medicine researchers Yunjeong Kim and Kyeong-Ok “KC” Chang published the study in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, or PNAS. They found that animal models infected with SARS-CoV-2 and treated with a deuterated protease inhibitor significantly increased survival and reduced viral load on the lungs.

The results suggest that post-infection treatment with inhibitors of proteases essential for viral replication may be an effective treatment against SARS-CoV-2. These protease inhibitors are a class of antiviral drugs that prevent viral replication by selectively binding to viral proteases and blocking the activation of proteins necessary for the production of infectious viral particles.

“We developed the protease inhibitor GC376 for the treatment of a deadly coronavirus infection in cats, which is now being developed commercially as a novel research veterinary drug,” said Kim, associate professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology. “After COVID-19 emerged, many research groups reported that this inhibitor is also effective against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and many are currently pursuing the development of protease inhibitors as a treatment.”

Kim and Chang modified GC376 using a tool called deuteration to test its efficacy against SARS-CoV-2.

“Treating SARS-CoV-2 infected mice with deuterated GC376 significantly improved survival, viral replication in the lungs, and weight loss, demonstrating the efficacy of the antiviral compound,” said Chang, professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology. “The results suggest that deuterated GC376 has potential for further development, and this deuteration method can be used for other antiviral compounds to generate potent inhibitors.”

The virologists continue to develop improved inhibitors in various ways. Deuterated GC376 is currently being evaluated for further potential development.

Kim and Chang’s previous work continues through licensing agreements with industry partners.

Reference: “Post-infection treatment with a protease inhibitor increases survival of mice with fatal SARS-CoV-2 infection” by Chamandi S. Dampalla, Jian Zheng, Krishani Dinali Perera, Lok-Yin Roy Wong, David K. Meyerholz, Harry Nhat Nguyen, Maithri M. Kashipathy, Kevin P. Battaile, Scott Lovell, Yunjeong Kim, Stanley Perlman, William C. Groutas, and Kyeong-Ok Chang, July 1, 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101555118