Sorrento Announces Publication of a Series of Novel SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease (MPRO) Inhibitors for Potential Treatment of COVID-19 Patients Infected With SARS-CoV-2 Variants Of Concern, Including Omicron
December 05 2021 - 2:28PM
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRNE, “Sorrento”) today
announced the peer-reviewed publication of a series of novel
SARS-CoV-2 MPro inhibitors with potent activities for both MPro and
cathepsin L, a key host enzyme for SARS-CoV-2 entry into host
cells, authored by Dr. Wenshe Ray Liu, professor at Texas A&M
University.
The full manuscript is available at:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34242492/
SARS-CoV-2 main protease (MPro) is a key enzyme
for the viral life cycle including virus entry, replication and
packaging. MPro is highly conserved in all discovered SARS CoV-2
variants and is identified as a critical target for developing
broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. In addition, experimental evidence
has shown that certain host proteases prime the SARS-CoV-2 spike
protein for viral packaging, interactions with ACE2, and viral
entry into the host. These include two serine proteases, furin and
transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and a cysteine protease
cathepsin L. Small molecule medications that inhibit furin, TMPRSS2
and cathepsin L have shown efficacy in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2
replication. In the publication, a representative analog of the
series, MPI8, demonstrated dual inhibition of MPro and cathepsin L
with high potency and selectivity (IC50 values for MPro and
cathepsin L are 105 nM and 1.2 nM, respectively). Sorrento has
collaborated with Professor Liu’s lab at Texas A&M University
to evaluate analogs in the series to develop an oral anti-COVID
drug. A promising analog with features distinguished from current
reported SARS-CoV-2 MPro inhibitors has been systematically
evaluated and advanced to a late stage of pre-clinical phase. “We
are pleased to work with Prof. Liu’s group at Texas A&M
University to develop a more effective oral MPro inhibitor to meet
the urgent need for treatment of COVID-19 patients infected with
existing and emerging variants. The oral MPro inhibitor together
with Sorrento’s other ongoing therapeutic intervention approaches
reflect our efforts to create a ‘mutation-agnostic’ global
anti-COVID strategy to combat COVID-19 variants of concern,
including the emerging Omicron variant,” stated Dr. Henry Ji,
Chairman and CEO of Sorrento.
“As a selective inhibitor to both SARS-CoV-2
MPro and cathepsin L that is key to SARS-CoV-2 entry into the human
host cell, MPI8 exerts improved potency to inhibit SARS-CoV-2. So
far it is potentially one of the most potent antivirals that have
been developed to treat COVID-19,” stated Dr. Wenshe Ray Liu,
Gradipore Chair in the Department of Chemistry at Texas A&M
University.
About Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
Sorrento is a clinical and commercial stage
biopharmaceutical company developing new therapies to treat cancer,
pain (non-opioid treatments), autoimmune disease and COVID-19.
Sorrento’s multimodal, multipronged approach to fighting cancer is
made possible by its extensive immuno-oncology platforms, including
key assets such as fully human antibodies (“G-MAB™ library”),
immuno-cellular therapies (“DAR-T™”), antibody-drug conjugates
(“ADCs”), and oncolytic virus (“Seprehvec™”). Sorrento is also
developing potential antiviral therapies and vaccines against
coronaviruses, including Abivertinib, COVIGUARD™, COVI-AMG™,
COVISHIELD™, COVI-MSC™ and COVIDROPS™; and diagnostic test
solutions, including COVITRACK™, COVISTIX™ and COVITRACE™.
Sorrento’s commitment to life-enhancing
therapies for patients is also demonstrated by our effort to
advance a first-in-class (TRPV1 agonist) non-opioid pain management
small molecule, resiniferatoxin (“RTX”), and SP-102 (10 mg,
dexamethasone sodium phosphate viscous gel) (SEMDEXA™), a novel,
viscous gel formulation of a widely used corticosteroid for
epidural injections to treat lumbosacral radicular pain, or
sciatica, and to commercialize ZTlido® (lidocaine topical system)
1.8% for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia. RTX has
completed a Phase IB trial for intractable pain associated with
cancer and a Phase 1B trial in osteoarthritis patients. SEMDEXA is
in a pivotal Phase 3 trial for the treatment of lumbosacral
radicular pain, or sciatica. ZTlido® was approved by the FDA on
February 28, 2018.
For more information visit
www.sorrentotherapeutics.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and any statements made for
and during any presentation or meeting contain forward-looking
statements related to Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., under the safe
harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those projected. Forward-looking statements include statements
regarding Sorrento’s plans with respect to its preclinical MPro
inhibitor product candidates, including MPI8; the antiviral
properties of Sorrento’s MPro inhibitor product candidates,
including MPI8, and the potential advantage the MPro inhibitors
offer against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants of concern, including the
Omicron variant; Sorrento’s plans to develop the MPro inhibitors to
address COVID-19; and Sorrento’s plans to address COVID-19 variants
of concern with a combination of therapeutic intervention
approaches, including MPro inhibitors. Risks and uncertainties that
could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely
from those expressed in our forward-looking statements, include,
but are not limited to: risks related to Sorrento’s technologies
and prospects, including, but not limited to risks related to
seeking regulatory approval for MPro inhibitors, including MPI8,
against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants of concern; clinical
development risks, including risks in the progress, timing, cost,
and results of clinical trials and product development programs;
risk of difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals;
risks that clinical study results may not meet any or all endpoints
of a clinical study and that any data generated from such studies
may not support a regulatory submission or approval; risks that
prior test, study and trial results may not be replicated in future
studies and trials; risks of manufacturing and supplying drug
product; risks related to leveraging the expertise of its
employees, subsidiaries, affiliates and partners to assist Sorrento
in the execution of its therapeutic antibody product candidate
strategies; risks related to the global impact of COVID-19; and
other risks that are described in Sorrento’s most recent periodic
reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including Sorrento’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2020, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
risk factors set forth in those filings. Investors are cautioned
not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements,
which speak only as of the date of this release and we undertake no
obligation to update any forward-looking statement in this press
release except as required by law.
Media and Investor Relations
ContactDorman FollowwillEmail:
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Sorrento® and the Sorrento logo are registered
trademarks of Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
G-MAB™, DAR-T™, SOFUSA™, COVIGUARD™, COVI-AMG™,
COVISHIELD™, COVIDROPS™, COVI-MSC™, COVITRACK™, COVITRACE™ and
COVISTIX™ are trademarks of Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
SEMDEXA™ is a trademark of Semnur
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
ZTlido® is a registered trademark owned by
Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
©2021 Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. All Rights
Reserved.
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