NanoViricides Inc. (NNVC)

[KMBJN]

Anything is possible. Did you see their PR from 2014 about their quickly created nanoviricide against another coronavirus, MERS?

http://www.nanoviricides.com/press%20releases/2014/NanoViricides%20Reports%20Novel%20Drug%20Candidates%20for%20Treatment%20of%20the%20MERS%20Middle%20East%20Respiratory%20Syndrome%20Corona%20Virus%20Ready%20For%20Animal%20Testing.html

Using our platform technology, NanoViricides, Inc. has already developed novel drug candidates against the MERS virus that mimic the MERS virus binding to the host cell. The Company developed ligands that are designed to bind to the MERS coronavirus spike protein, in the same fashion that the cognate receptor of the virus, DPP-IV, binds to the virus. We performed the ligand design using well established molecular modeling techniques, based on published data regarding the MERS coronavirus spike protein and DPP-IV binding. The ligands were then chemically attached to the nanomicelle base polymer, thus making the nanoviricides drug candidates against the MERS virus. The Company has already successfully scaled up the synthesis to multi-gram scale, sufficient for animal testing, and can easily scale the processes to make kilogram quantities for widespread application in human patients if they are found to be effective and safe.

"The rapid development and deployment capability of our platform technology was demonstrated by how quickly we were able to create these drug candidates," said Dr. Eugene Seymour, MD, MPH, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, explaining, "The design of a set of viable ligands was completed in merely three weeks, and the initial syntheses took another four weeks."

Unfortunately, the Wuhan coronavirus probably has a different cellular entry receptor than the MERS coronavirus:

http://engine.scichina.com/publisher/scp/journal/SCLS/doi/10.1007/s11427-020-1637-5?slug=fulltext

So, they may need to re-design to mimic ACE2 receptor instead of DPP-IV.

And there is no guarantee any drug they create will be successful in humans. They have shown their compounds to be safe and effective in animals, and with their new funding, should finally be able to get into trials within a year for topical herpes indications.

Yes, there are multiple problems with management communication and reliability, considerable unexplained delays in the past, and numerous related-party conflicts of interest. Plus, they don't have enough money to even finish early stage trials for herpes, so how will they be able to do anything for Wuhan-CoV? The only way would be if some government or big pharma gave them money for development, similar to how CEPI gave INO and MRNA money for vaccine development against Wuhan-CoV. Or maybe NNVC will somehow miraculously do another raise at higher prices to fund Wuhan-CoV-cide - but very unlikely.

There is also the question of production. NNVC/Diwan is now claiming this issue is largely solved for topical herpecides, at least. Unfortunately, management has made similar claims before and the proof of reliable production will be FDA approval of the herpecide IND, hopefully later this year.

So, odds are that this NNVC run is based on hype and the latest viral-pandemic-of-the-day, and there will be no Wuhan-CoV-cide.

Still, the world needs more effective antiviral treatments, and the whole concept of nanoviricides is intriguing and promising, despite having very poor and questionable management.