Summary of the technology
Some edible compounds are potent antiviral agents and were tested successfully against SARS and MERS viruses. They hence provide an large source for rapid development and production of cure against COVID-19. These compounds are commercially available, and are generally recognized as safe (GRAS), with a vast chemical diversity.
Despite the high-level genetic similarity to other coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, recent works demonstrate major structural differences in SARS-CoV2 (the causal agent of COVID-19 disease) proteins. The need for specific anti-SARS-COV2 treatments is acute.
Rapid screening of the food derived compounds, using chemoinformatic modeling tools that are common in our lab, allow the identification of a small number of potent antiviral candidate inhibitors of recent published SARS-CoV2 target proteins.
Project ID : 47-2020-10884
Description of the technology
Edible compounds can be used as potent antiviral agents and, in fact, have been tested successfully against SARS and MERS viruses. They have the potential to be a cure against COVID-19 and are a can be rapidly produced and deployed. These compounds are commercially available, and are generally recognized as safe (GRAS), with a vast chemical diversity.
Despite the high-level genetic similarity to other coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, recent research has demonstrated major structural differences in SARS-CoV2 (the causal agent of COVID-19 disease) proteins from these other coronaviruses. The need for specific anti-SARS-COV2 treatments is acute.
Our lab has chemo-informatic modeling tools that can provide rapid screening of the food derived compounds, and identify of a small number of potent antiviral candidate inhibitors for the recently published SARS-CoV2 target proteins.
Project manager
Ilya Pittel
VP, BD AGTECH, FOODTECH, VETERINARY & ENVIRONMENT
Project researchers
Zohar Kerem
HUJI, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences
Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition
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