Since the beginning of the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 virus in Wuhan, China, a large part of the scientific community has focused on finding alternatives to solve this problem of public health which has caused numerous deaths worldwide and generated notable losses in the economic sector. And today, one of those communities is the UNAMwhich, has found 30 viable drugs To treat COVID-19.
University scientists worked on the identification and design of inhibitor candidates
According to Enrique Ángeles Anguiano, head of the Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory of the Faculty of Higher Studies (FES) Cuautitlán. The pandemic can be faced following these three axes: the repositioning of drugs, the testing of in-house compounds (discovered in his laboratory and which form part of his collection) and the development of a dual action hybrid compound.
Based on the quaternary structure of the spike protein and the protease Mpro – keys in the entry of the virus into the body and its replication. UNAM scientists worked on the identification and in silico design of inhibitor candidates or drugs to fight COVID-19.
Later, with the finding that the virus attacks using the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE). The experts of this house of studies discovered that many organic compounds with an affinity for the protease Mpro have the amide functionality (a class of organic compounds that are considered derivatives of acids). So they searched among their in-house compounds those that could act on the interaction of spike and ACE.
“Once again, as part of our in-house arsenal, we have 20 protease-inhibiting candidates. Starting from a natural structure that is the caffeic acid phenylethyl ester (CAPE)”, said Ángeles Anguiano.
So far, UNAM has found 30 viable drugs to treat COVID
The researchers propose own structures to attack SARS-CoV-2 and carry out in silico studies for the repositioning of molecules. So far, they have found 30 viable drugs to treat COVID-19.
Promising results
With the aim of advancing its research, the FES carried out a collaboration with the University of Montreal, something “vital” for Ángeles Anguiano. Given that “They have a BL3, something that we don’t have in the Faculty. Lethal native or exotic agents with a high transmission potential can be treated there. For this reason, the effectiveness of our candidate compounds against the virus could be evaluated there.”
In these facilities, the UNAM experts verified the effectiveness of its polyphenol compound LQM322. By decreasing and interfering with the interaction between spike and ACE.
Similarly, they have promising results from their LQM300 family compounds that they propose as replication inhibitors of the Mpro protease and that they will later present in a scientific journal.
Transcendental research: in search of more effective and less harmful drugs
On the other hand, the researchers carry out in silico studies focused on the repositioning of molecules that are in circulation and are used to treat other diseases. The compounds designed and synthesized by this group of experts is a major task for the university and the country. Since they have shown greater effectiveness and fewer side effects than those currently on the market.
According to Ángeles Anguiano, the goal of her team is to offer accessible and less harmful drugs to the population. Therefore, they do not seek to patent their compounds, but to collaborate with NGOs and agencies to pay for the clinical phase.
“After 43 years of scientific developments, I feel very satisfied to show our results and contributions for the benefit of the community. The next step is the clinical phase, which represents a great challenge because it is an expensive activity. Therefore, we continue to search for alternatives, so that society benefits from our work. That is our mission as university students,” he stressed.
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