Multivalent designed proteins protect against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Virology
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants with mutations pose a significant threat to global health, prolonging the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Existing treatments face challenges due to viral escape mechanisms.
• There is a critical need for broadly effective prophylactic and therapeutic agents against SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusions:

• Multivalent protein-based minibinders represent a promising strategy for combating SARS-CoV-2 variants.
• The developed minibinders demonstrate potent neutralization, resistance to viral escape, and in vivo efficacy.
• This integrated design and testing workflow accelerates the development of mutationally resilient therapeutics for pandemic preparedness.