Virenc drug candidate shows strong antiviral effect against SARS-CoV-2
Virenc’s antiviral drug candidate PLNC8ab has shown strong efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in an advanced model of human airways. The results mark an important step in the development of PLNC8ab as a potential broad-spectrum antiviral treatment. The next step is to evaluate the drug candidate in animal models.
PLNC8ab was originally developed by Virenc co-founders Hazem Khalaf and Torbjörn Bengtsson at Örebro University. Previous laboratory studies have demonstrated antiviral activity against several viruses, including coronaviruses and influenza viruses.
Earlier this year, Virenc initiated a collaboration with Niklas Arnberg, Professor of Virology at Umeå University, to take the evaluation of PLNC8ab a step further.
The drug candidate has now been tested in an advanced model consisting of several types of human airway cells. Compared with conventional cell-based laboratory tests, the model more closely resembles the conditions found in the human respiratory tract.
The results exceeded expectations.
“PLNC8ab inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection very effectively. Most importantly, we now see a strong antiviral effect in a considerably more advanced model,” says Torbjörn Bengtsson, co-founder of Virenc and Professor Emeritus of Biomedicine at Örebro University.
Moving closer to real-world biological conditions
The new results strengthen previous findings showing the antiviral potential of PLNC8ab. However, further preclinical studies are needed before it can be determined whether the drug candidate could ultimately be effective and safe in humans.
Niklas Arnberg describes the results as promising.
“These results strengthen the hypothesis that this type of approach has the potential to be developed into products that could help healthcare providers treat and protect people against serious viral infections. However, we cannot yet draw conclusions about whether it will work in humans. That is normal at this stage of development,” says Niklas Arnberg.
Targeting multiple respiratory viruses
Virenc’s long-term objective is to develop PLNC8ab as a broad-spectrum antiviral drug, with the potential to target several different types of viruses rather than a single pathogen.
One of the next steps is therefore to investigate the effect of PLNC8ab against other respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), using the advanced airway model.
“If we can demonstrate a broader effect against several respiratory viruses, I would say that the project has significant potential,” says Niklas Arnberg.
Virenc also aims to progress PLNC8ab into animal studies. These studies will investigate both prophylactic and therapeutic applications: whether the drug candidate can prevent infection and whether it can treat an infection that has already been established.
“These results represent an important milestone for Virenc. Our next goal is to demonstrate that the antiviral effect is maintained in animal models,” says Hazem Khalaf, co-founder and CEO of Virenc.
The findings represent another step in Virenc’s development of PLNC8ab from academic research towards a potential new antiviral therapy.