CHEMISTRY FOR LIFE SCIENCES

Abstract: Coronaviruses use specific protein-protein interactions (PPIs) to subvert the host-cell physiology and to promote replication and spreading. This peculiarity can be exploited for the design of anti-viral compounds, as antivirals perturbing PPIs are less prone to resistance conferring mutations compared to other drugs, that typically inhibit viral enzymatic activities. Targeting PPIs involved in cell entry, a crucial step of the viral cycle, offers a great therapeutic potential not only against SARS-CoV-2, but against other coronavirus strains. Moreover, compounds active on the surface of epithelial cells could be provided easily to patients by aerosol administration. The aim of the present project is to develop a methodology that exploits the determinants of molecular recognition between the critical players regulating cell entry of SARS-CoV-2, the viral protein Spike and the host proteins ACE2 and TMPRSS2, in order to design molecules able to block the cell entry mechanism.

Activity : 1/09/2021 - 28/02/2022