Imagined by French researchers, a nasal spray could neutralize the Covid-19

In full race for vaccine against the Covid-19, French researchers have developed a peptide that blocks viral infection. This is’a lure created from amino acids natural which attaches itself to the infectious cell.

Philippe Karoyan, who is leading the work, believes that this discovery could be a effective alternative to vaccination. Professor at the Sorbonne and researcher at CNRS explain to actu.fr how his team began to explore this avenue:

I usually work in the field of oncology. In March 2020, I mobilized my troops to reorient our activity and work on the Covid.

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Tested on human lung cells

Recent data on the coronavirus demonstrate that the initial phase of infection involves the interaction of SPIKE viral protein with a human receptor named ACE2. This interaction opens at the pulmonary level the entry doors of cells to the virus, at the origin of the infection and the multiplication of the virus.

The approach of Philippe Karoyan and his team is to build decoys, called peptides, in order to prevent this interaction. “They are in a way false locks capable of interacting with viral cells, image the professor. I drew 160 of them and made 25 from natural amino acids. “

After synthesis and validation of their ability to mimic the structure of ACE2, these peptides were tested on human lung cells. Three of them proved to be conclusive, including two “extremely powerful in stopping viral infection”, argues Professor Karoyan.

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“1000 times more powerful than natural cells”

“The interaction between these peptide mimes and the viral protein SPIKE is so strong that it is irreversible. To keep the comparison with the lock, it’s as if a key fits easily and quickly into it, but then becomes impossible to remove. “Our decoys are 1,000 times more powerful than natural cells,” adds the scientist, who published his invention on August 24.

The last step in the process was to check the peptides for non-toxicity. “By not presenting no toxicity to lung cells, these decoys are powerful tools that could be used in prophylactic and therapeutic approaches to fight against Covid-19 ″, says a CNRS press release.

A method already used for HIV

The project, supported by the research department of the Faculty of Sciences and Engineering of Sorbonne University and SATT-Lutech, was the subject of a patent application May 8, 2020.

For Henri Agut, retired virologist, founder of the journal Virologie, “The idea of ​​using peptides is a valid strategy in itself”. He remembers that this technique had proved its worth some 20 years ago for HIV “with some effectiveness”.

Nasal spray, oral or sublingual tablets

The former head of the virology department of Pitié-Salpêtrière in Paris is impatiently awaiting the continuation of this work:

Will the peptides resist the normal cleaning systems of the human body? It won’t be easy. If it works for a respiratory infection, by memory, this would be the first time, but there hasn’t been a lot of testing either.

Philippe Karoyan’s objective would be to materialize this product in the form of nasal or oral spray or lozenges to melt under the tongue, in order to use it preventively.

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“We need a million euros”

But before that, the researchers are in search of funding to carry out in vivo studies (as close as possible to natural conditions, as opposed to investigations carried out in vitro). “We need a million euros”, slips Philippe Karoyan, who was to meet with pharmaceutical groups this Wednesday, September 2, 2020:

We did our job as scientists. The lead time to manufacture a drug is generally ten years. But given the urgency, things should speed up. Now it’s just business. It is no longer my domain.

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