NEW YORK & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Clear Creek Bio, Inc. today announced a research collaboration and exclusive license agreement to advance the discovery and development of potential inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) for the oral treatment of COVID-19. PLpro is an essential enzyme, which, along with the main protease (Mpro), plays an important role in viral replication.
This program will expand Pfizer’s innovative anti-infective pipeline and, if successful, will complement Pfizer’s existing portfolio of COVID-19 products with direct-acting antiviral agents against different SARS-CoV-2 targets. “COVID-19 has proven to be a devastating and highly unpredictable disease, one with the potential to remain a global health concern for years to come,” said Charlotte Allerton, Chief Scientific Officer, Anti-Infectives and Head of Medicine Design, of Pfizer.
“It is critical that we try to stay ahead of the virus, continuing to advance clinical development opportunities for our current oral therapy as well as innovating through our internal programs and strategic partnerships to bring forward additional monotherapy and/or combination treatment candidates that we believe may play a role in the ongoing fight against COVID-19.” “As COVID-19 continues to evolve, there is a significant need for oral antivirals with novel mechanisms of action,” said Vikram Sheel Kumar, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Clear Creek Bio.