Technoloy:

Antirna Incorporated is privately held startup. It is focusing on small molecules Antiviral therapeutics. Due to current pandemic of SARS-Cov-2 emphasis is on antiviral drugs development for COVID-19. The coronaviruses have evolved mechanisms for generating their own cap structures with methylation at the N7 position of the capped guanine and the ribose 2′-O position of the first nucleotide, which help viral RNAs escape recognition by the host innate immune system.

We have developed small molecule antiviral agents which interferes with S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methylation reactions, particularly those involved in the ‘capping’ of viral mRNA. This approach could potentially lead to potent broad spectrum antiviral agents to treat SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, MERS and Ebola etc viruses.