Among the numerous challenges encountered by the pharmaceutical industry in the last few decades, COVID-19 has been one of the most challenging. The sudden emergence of an unknown virus and subsequent viral mutants pushed vaccines to their limits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DZIF scientist and bioinformatician Andreas Dr\u00e4ger from the University of T\u00fcbingen is working on a computer-based method that can help to accelerate the time-consuming identification and development of antiviral agents. Using a novel analysis technique that applies to any virus and host cell type, the research team has created a model to detect additional host cell targets that allow inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 replication, said the university in a press release<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEfficient pandemic preparedness requires new, broadly effective antiviral drugs against which the viruses cannot quickly develop resistance,\u201d explains Andreas Dr\u00e4ger, junior professor at the University of T\u00fcbingen and member of the T\u00fcbingen Cluster of Excellence \u201cControlling Microbes to Fight Infections \u2013 CMFI\u201d. \u201cBut drug development takes too much precious time, which is urgently needed in an emergency.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr\u00e4ger wants to combat the loss of time using a computer modeling technique. In 2021, researchers identified a human enzyme named guanylate kinase 1, which accelerates virus multiplication and can be blocked without causing cell damage. \u201cThrough an improved analysis technique, we can now specifically model viral infection in many different types of tissue,\u201d explains Nantia Leonidou, first author of the current study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apart from guanylate kinase 1, the model has identified new biochemical targets with remarkable antiviral effects. One of those targets has shown remarkable results where viral growth was restricted up to 62 percent without affecting the maintenance of the human host cells. Both target molecules are closely linked to the structure of genetic material, which requires the same building blocks in both the virus and the host cells. The researchers believe these findings to will prove beneficial in accelerating the development of viral inhibitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur models could represent a paradigm shift in drug development and accelerate the preclinical phase,\u201d emphasized Nantia Leonidou. \u201cThe methods are fully transferable to any virus and host cell type and are also commercially viable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr\u00e4ger\u2019s group now plans to implement their biological advancement on other viruses. The first inhibitors for their discovered enzymes will be tested in animal models for safety, toxicity, and efficacy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2585,"featured_media":441907,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":""},"categories":[34665],"tags":[52467,37617,48094,52285],"location":[24456],"internal_archives":[],"class_list":["post-441906","selected","type-selected","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","tag-antiviral","tag-enzyme","tag-pandemic","tag-sars-cov-2-virus","location-germany"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":[],"featured_img":false,"coauthors":[],"author_meta":{"author_link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/author\/himanshu-jana\/","display_name":"Himanshu Jana"},"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 3 years ago","modified":"Updated 3 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on March 30, 2023","modified":"Updated on March 30, 2023"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on March 30, 2023 9:46 am","modified":"Updated on March 30, 2023 9:46 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","tax_additional":{"category":{"linked":["Health<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Health<\/span>"],"slug":"category","name":"Categories"},"post_tag":{"linked":["antiviral<\/a>","Enzyme<\/a>","pandemic<\/a>","SARS-CoV-2 virus<\/a>"],"unlinked":["antiviral<\/span>","Enzyme<\/span>","pandemic<\/span>","SARS-CoV-2 virus<\/span>"],"slug":"post_tag","name":"Tags"},"language":{"linked":["EN<\/a>"],"unlinked":["EN<\/span>"],"slug":"language","name":"Tags"},"post_translations":{"linked":["pll_6439037d6b7a5<\/a>"],"unlinked":["pll_6439037d6b7a5<\/span>"],"slug":"post_translations","name":""},"location":{"linked":["Germany<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Germany<\/span>"],"slug":"location","name":"Locations"},"internal_archives":{"linked":[],"unlinked":[],"slug":"internal_archives","name":"Internal Archives"}},"series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/selected\/441906","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/selected"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/selected"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=441906"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=441906"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=441906"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=441906"},{"taxonomy":"internal_archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_archives?post=441906"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}