Enzolytics Inc (ENZC)

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Enzolytics Announces the Discovery and Patenting of Eleven Newly Identified Conserved Target Sites on the SARS-CoV-2 Virus (Coronavirus)

Monday, February 22, 2021 10:30 AM

Production of Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting These Sites is in Process in the Company's Texas Lab.

COLLEGE STATION, TX / ACCESSWIRE / February 22, 2021 / Enzolytics, Inc. (OTC Markets "ENZC" or the "Company") today announced it has identified eleven conserved, expectedly immutable sites (epitopes) on the Coronavirus against which it is producing targeted anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies. Using computer analysis (Artificial Intelligence [AI]), the Company's genetics and molecular biology data science team has now screened more than 50,512 Coronavirus isolates currently known and has identified conserved sites which expectedly are immutable. The 11 conserved sequences identified on the virus isolates curated have been identified on the basis that they are 98.71% to 99.29% conserved over the entirety of the 50,512 Coronavirus isolates analyzed.

Before completing the Artificial Intelligence analysis of the 50,512 SARS-CoV-2 isolates to identify conserved epitopes, the Company's scientists predicted a specific target epitope that is correlative in structure to the site on the HIV virus to which the Company has produced a monoclonal antibody that has been shown to neutralize the HIV virus. The prediction was that this site would be conserved as is the correlative site on the HIV virus. The AI analysis of the 50,512 SARS-CoV-2 isolates identified this predicted site on the virus as 99% conserved across all 50,512 isolates. This primary site on the SARS-CoV-2 virus has also been confirmed as existing (100%) in the U.S. SARS-CoV-2 virus and the virus variants which have surfaced in United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa, which are now in the U.S. This epitope on the SARS-Cov-2 virus is included in the first being targeted by the Company in its production of epitope specific monoclonal antibodies.

The Company has always emphasized the need for therapeutics that target conserved and expectedly immutable virus sites - whether the therapeutics is a monoclonal antibody or a preventative vaccine. There is agreement among experts that multiple neutralizing antibodies is critical to effective control of viruses such as the Coronavirus. Recognizing this necessity, if a site is 99% conserved (exits in all 99% of the 50,512 Coronavirus isolates curated), then it can be expected that the next 50,512 variations will also contain the conserved sites. Targeting these conserved sites allows the production of a therapeutic that will not become ineffective due to mutation of the virus. In other words, even a "variant form of the virus" will expectedly contain the immutable targeted sites. Targeting those immutable sites avoids the ineffectiveness that is experienced when a therapeutics or vaccine targets a site that has mutated.

Variant have arisen in viruses other that the Coronavirus. Prior government funding in producing anti-HIV monoclonal antibodies have failed due to what the industry calls "virus escape". The anti-HIV monoclonal antibodies VRC01 and VRC02 produced by Vaccine Research Center in conjunction with the NIH were tested for years and then abandoned due to "virus escape". The Company's focus is on producing monoclonal antibodies that target immutable sites to avoid "virus escape".

The Company notes the recent reports of Coronavirus vaccines not being as effective against newly discovered variant of the virus. The Company intends to use its knowledge of the conserved sites on both the Coronavirus and HIV in the production of vaccines that are expected to be less susceptible, or not susceptible at all, to virus mutation.

ENZC is working through the processes necessary to get their product to the next level.

Key words:

Virus Mutation

Virus Escape

Production

What is next?

Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP) Frequently Asked Questions?

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/coronavirus-covid-19-drugs/coronavirus-treatment-acceleration-program-ctap-frequently-asked-questions