Compositions for treating viral infections and methods for same
Inventors
Waugh, Jacob • Shacknai, Jonah
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12337065-B2
Publication Date
2025-06-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
Compositions containing a protease inhibitor for treating viral infections and methods for treating a patient before, during, or after exposure to an infectious agent by administering such compositions are described herein.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to compositions and methods for treating and preventing viral infections, in particular SARS viruses including SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19, by targeting furin-dependent entry. The disclosed target biology is furin cleavage of the coronavirus spike glycoprotein at the furin cleavage site needed for entry into cells, and the compositions include furin binding compounds and/or protease inhibitors.
The furin binding compounds are selected from polylysine, α-polylysine, and ε-polylysine, and alternatively are peptide, peptide analog, and peptidomimetic furin binding compounds. The document further identifies polyarginine-containing furin binding compounds using specific sequence strings and sequence IDs, including RGRR (SEQ ID NO:1), RKRKKR (SEQ ID NO:2), RKKR (SEQ ID NO:3), and RRRKKR (SEQ ID NO:4), and places the compounds in pharmaceutically acceptable carriers.
The compositions are administered to subjects needing treatment, including topical administration and intranasal spray. The document describes prophylactic use in high-risk exposures and reports outcomes tied to viral load reduction and clinical endpoints, including expected reduction in viral load, improved time to recovery, and improved survival/recovery after SARS-CoV-2 challenge in mouse studies.
Claims Coverage
The document contains two independent claims directed to treating a subject infected by a severe acute respiratory virus using compositions comprising furin binding compounds in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Across the two independent claims, the inventive coverage is organized into two inventive features, with further sequence-based limitations in dependent claims.
Furin binding composition with polylysine-family members in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier
A method for treating a subject infected by a severe acute respiratory virus by administering a composition comprising a furin binding compound selected from polylysine, α-polylysine, and ε-polylysine, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Furin binding composition with peptide-type furin binding compounds
A method for treating a subject infected by a severe acute respiratory virus by administering a composition comprising a furin binding compound selected from a peptide, a peptide analog, and a peptidomimetic.
Overall, the independent claims cover methods of treatment that administer a furin-binding composition in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, with the furin binding compound limited either to polylysine/α-polylysine/ε-polylysine or to peptide/peptide analog/peptidomimetic types, and the dependent claims further narrow peptide-type variants with polyarginine sequence requirements.
Stated Advantages
Expected reduction in viral load, including viral load in sputum or blood plasma.
Improved time to recovery.
Improved survival and/or recovery after SARS-CoV-2 challenge in animal studies.
Documented Applications
Preventing/treating high-risk COVID-19 exposures using prophylactic polylysine intranasal spray, with reported negative test outcomes.
Treating SARS-CoV-2 infection in mouse studies following SARS-CoV-2 challenge, with reported improvements in survival/recovery and reductions in lung SARS-CoV-2 titers.
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