Intranasal fusion inhibitory lipopeptide prevents direct contact SARS-CoV-2 transmission in ferrets.

ABSTRACT: Containment of the COVID-19 pandemic requires reducing viral transmission. SARS-CoV-2 infection is initiated by membrane fusion between the viral and host cell membranes, mediated by the viral spike protein. We have designed a dimeric lipopeptide fusion inhibitor that blocks this critical first step of infection for emerging coronaviruses and document that it completely prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection in ferrets. Daily intranasal administration to ferrets completely prevented SARS-CoV-2 direct-contact transmission during 24-hour co-housing with infected animals, under stringent conditions that resulted in infection of 100% of untreated animals. These lipopeptides are highly stable and non-toxic and thus readily translate into a safe and effective intranasal prophylactic approach to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2. A dimeric form of a SARS-CoV-2-derived lipopeptide is a potent inhibitor of fusion and infection in vitro and transmission in vivo .

SUBMITTER: de Vries RD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7654853 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature