APS Research & News

COVID-19 Therapeutics

This article reflects work in the Yousef Lab

During a disease outbreak/pandemic situation such as COVID-19, researchers are in a prime position to identify and develop peptide-based therapies, which could be more rapidly and cost-effectively advanced into a clinical setting. One drawback of natural peptide drugs, however, is their proteolytic instability; peptidomimetics can help to overcome this caveat.

In this review, the researchers summarize peptide and peptide based therapeutics that target one main entry pathway of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which involves the host angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor and viral spike (S) protein interaction. Furthermore, they discuss the advantages of peptidomimetics and other potential targets that have been studied using peptide-based therapeutics for COVID-19.