Sorrento Therapeutics Inc (SRNE)

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Here is some background on Sorrento's Mpro drug licensed from Texas A&M. It compares favorably with Merk's drug according to this news release. It will be nice to see more about a comparison to the Pfizer drug.

Sorrento Exercises Exclusive Option Agreement With Texas A&M University for MPRO Inhibitors Against Sars-Cov-2 and all Variants of Concern
August 26, 2021 15:42 ET | Source: Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
*Exclusive license for MPro inhibitors supports rapidly growing small molecule development portfolio for combating COVID-19.
**Lead compound, MPI8, exhibited potent in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and all of the major Variants of Concern (VoCs) (alpha, beta, delta and gamma).
*MPI8 also demonstrated superior antiviral activity in a head-to-head comparison with a late-stage clinical antiviral compound (EIDD-2801).
Based on the IC50 data of the Plague Reduction Neutralization Test (PRNT) of live virus infecting Vero E6 cells, MPI8 demonstrated approximately ten-fold (10x) higher antiviral potency than EIDD-2801 against SARS-CoV-2 and its Alpha (UK) and Delta (Indian) VoCs and three to seven-fold (3-7x) higher antiviral potency against Beta (South Africa, 3X) and Gamma (Brazil/Japan, 6-7X) VoCs.
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRNE, "Sorrento") announced today that it has notified The Texas A&M University System (“TAMUS”) of its exercise of the option to an exclusive license for the global development and commercialization of highly potent main protease (MPro) inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 and all current and emerging variants of concern (VOCs). Sorrento and TAMUS previously announced the signing of the option agreement on August 24th and 25th, respectively:

https://investors.sorrentotherapeutics.com/news-releases/news-release-details/sorrento-therapeutics-announces-entry-option-agreement
https://today.tamu.edu/2021/08/25/texas-am-researcher-new-drug-could-be-game-changer-against-covid-19
Sorrento’s decision to immediately exercise its option is based on very promising preclinical data for the lead compound, MPI8, that shows highly potent broad-spectrum antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and all of the major Variants of Concern (VoCs) (alpha, beta, delta and gamma). Based on initial in vitro data, MPI8 demonstrated superior antiviral activity in a head-to-head comparison with a current Phase 3 investigational oral antiviral agent (EIDD2801). Based on the IC50 data of the Plague Reduction Neutralization Test (PRNT) of live virus infecting Vero E6 cells, MPI8 demonstrated approximately ten-fold (10x) higher antiviral potency than EIDD-2801 against SARS-CoV-2 and its Alpha (UK) and Delta (Indian) VoCs and three to seven-fold (3-7x) higher antiviral potency against Beta (South Africa, 3X) and Gamma (Brazil/Japan, 6-7X) VoCs.

Sorrento expects to complete additional preclinical studies in the coming weeks, including a head-to-head comparison against other late-stage clinical candidates, and will publish its preliminary findings in a pre-print publication."