RESEARCH: COVID-19
FOLDING PROJECT #13446 PROFILE

Researchers are using computer simulations to find new drugs that can block a key protein in the COVID-19 virus. The best drug candidates will be tested in labs. This project is part of an open science initiative called the COVID Moonshot, which aims to develop affordable and accessible treatments for everyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnyaAmM1nhEThese projects are rapid sprints of relative alchemical free energy calculations for prioritizing compound designs from chemists from the COVID Moonshot for synthesis.

Top-scoring molecules will be made and tested in a laboratory by the COVID Moonshot as it works to develop an open science patent-free inexpensive therapy for COVID-19 that shuts down the essential SARS-CoV-2 main viral protease.

The COVID Moonshot has already made and tested hundreds of compounds, and is pursuing several good lead series.

You can see their progress in real time here:
https://covid.postera.ai/covid/submissions/compounds To learn more about what the Moonshot is and how it came about, you can read our blog post or watch this video. In addition to helping us prioritize compounds, you can help us purchase more compounds for synthesis at cost from Enamine by sponsoring our GoFundMe page for patent-free open science COVID-19 drug discovery! This is a radical new approach to drug discovery that aims to rapidly produce inexpensive new therapies. SARS-CoV-2 main viral potease (Mpro) with ligand bound, from the RCSB.

COVID Moonshot

A global collaborative effort to develop COVID-19 therapies.

The COVID Moonshot is a worldwide initiative focused on rapidly creating affordable and accessible treatments for COVID-19. It leverages open science principles to accelerate drug development through public data sharing and collaboration.

SARS-CoV-2

The virus responsible for COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. This virus spreads through respiratory droplets and can lead to severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Main Viral Protease

An enzyme essential for the replication of SARS-CoV-2.

The main viral protease is a key protein that helps the SARS-CoV-2 virus replicate within infected cells. By inhibiting this enzyme, antiviral drugs can prevent viral replication and spread.

Compound Design

The process of creating molecules with specific biological activity.

Compound design is a crucial step in drug discovery. Scientists use their knowledge of disease mechanisms and target proteins to create molecules that can interact with and modulate these targets.

Synthesis

The chemical process of creating a molecule.

Synthesis refers to the laboratory-based process of building complex molecules, including drug candidates. Chemists use various reactions and techniques to assemble the desired structure.