Cocrystal Pharma Says CDI-45205 Active Against SARS-CoV-2 And Two Prominent SARS-CoV-2 Variants

(RTTNews) - Biotechnology company Cocrystal Pharma Inc. (COCP) announced Monday that its lead preclinical SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease inhibitor CDI-45205 is active against SARS-CoV-2 and two prominent SARS-CoV-2 variants.

A third-party laboratory contracted by Cocrystal conducted in vitro studies evaluating the antiviral activity of CDI-45205 and its analogs in VeroE6-eGFP cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 (Wuhan strain), the United Kingdom variant (B.1.1.7) and the South African variant (B.1.351).

CDI-45205 and its analogs showed excellent antiviral activity against both SARS-CoV-2 variants, surpassing the activity observed with SARS-CoV-2 (Wuhan strain). Two reference inhibitors including remdesivir, an FDA-approved SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor, and PF-00835231, another SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease inhibitor, were included in the study as comparators.

Results showed CDI-45205 had excellent antiviral activity against the United Kingdom variant and the South African variant in the absence of a P-glycoprotein efflux inhibitor.

The company now intends to continue with further testing for antiviral activity against other emerging variants including the Indian variant. It is also currently using its proprietary structure-based drug discovery platform technology to investigate broad-spectrum oral protease inhibitors and replication inhibitors for the treatment of COVID-19.