New antiviral drugs to treat herpes and COVID-19

Many drugs have been used to treat COVID-19, but none have shown unequivocal efficacy. The drugs based on monoclonal antibodies show high activity in neutralizing viruses, but they are quite expensive.

Scientists at Stanford University report success in using stable peptide mimics. This development can be the basis for a new category of antiviral drugs. They will be able to cover a very wide range of infections, such as herpes and COVID-19. Peptides consist of short amino acid sequences with side chains that bind to carbon atoms in the main chain of molecules. In peptoids, a stable structure is formed. In this structure the side chains are connected to the nitrogen atoms in the main chain of the molecule.

In the study, these peptoids inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and herpes (HSV-1) and made them incapable of infecting cultured human cells. Also, these compounds safely prevent herpes infection in mice when applied to the lips. Clinical trials will be initiated within a year.

Source: Phys.org