COVID-19 variants have been a cause for concern throughout the pandemic. Researchers at the University of Toronto have created chemical compounds – known as mirror-image peptides – that can neutralize the virus that causes COVID-19 and several of its variants. These peptides have also shown to be a cost-effective solution to COVID-19 management, especially in low-income countries.
As more treatments for COVID-19 became available throughout the pandemic, including vaccines, researchers have expanded their program to create compounds that target all coronaviruses, including SARS and MERS, in a bid to design universal therapeutics as a safeguard against future pandemics. The researchers have also partnered with a US-based biotech company to help bring the research to market in the near future.
For more information, visit the University of Toronto.
