SOM Biotech, a clinical-stage drug discovery and development company, announces the in vitro validation of three drug candidates as new therapies for the treatment of COVID-19. The three candidates inhibit the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 and therefore the replication of the virus. Clinical studies with the three candidates can be initiated immediately.

SOM Biotech has applied its artificial intelligence based screening technology (SOMAIPRO) to identify inhibitors of the 3CL proteases of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV viruses as potential candidates to treat COVID-19.

The discoveries came as a result of the research conducted jointly by SOM Biotech and the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences led by Professor Dong-Hae Shin from Ewha Womans University in South Korea.

Within the three identified and validated drug candidates, one - Eravacycline - is an already approved drug. The second compound - Prexasertib - is in clinical development and the third one – Cynarine - is a natural compound used as a dietary supplement. All three drugs can be repurposed to treat COVID-19 and the company is working on the fastest way to prove them in patients.

A patent application has been filed to provide method of use protection for the three compounds worldwide.

Raul Insa, CEO and Founder of SOM Biotech: “We have joined forces withProfessor Dong-Hae Shin from Ewha Womans University to combine our scientific and medical expertise to find new solutions for COVID-19. Thanks to our capabilities in screening molecules with our AI-based technology, we have validated active anti-coronavirus compounds. We look forward to the rapid development of this drugs to be able to provide patients with an effective and safe treatment against the COVID-19 as soon as possible”.

Professor Dong-Hae Shinfrom Ewha Womans University: “We are very proud about working on promising COVID-19 treatments and contributing to find effective, safe and fast solutions due to the importance of the current pandemic situation. We decided to start working with SOM Biotech as we are committed to tackle this COVID-19 pandemic leveraging on partners with innovative technologies and excellent know-how.”

About Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), refers to a new infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; previously known as 2019-nCoV).The clinical spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection appears to be wide, ranging from asymptomatic infection, and mild upper respiratory tract illness to severe viral pneumonia with respiratory failure and even death.

AboutEravacycline: TP-434, is a tetracycline based antibiotic drug approved by the FDA. TP-434 is a new antibiotic effective against multidrug-resistant gram-negative pathogens. Tetracycline antibiotics are protein synthesis inhibitors, inhibiting the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to the mRNA-ribosome complex. They do so mainly by binding to the 16S rRNA of 30S ribosomal subunit in the mRNA translation complex.

About Prexasertib: LY-2606368, is a potent and selective ATP competitive inhibitor of the Chk1 and Chk2 protein kinase currently in development for oncology indications. It preferentially binds to and inhibits CHK1 and to a lesser extent, inhibits CHK2, thus inducing DNA double-strand breaks, leading to an accumulation of damaged DNA, loss in checkpoint function and cell death.

About Cynarine: Cynarine is a natural compound under research for the treatment of hyperlipidemia. It acts by targeting squalene synthase (FDFT1). Squalene synthase is an enzyme involved in isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway. The drug candidate inhibits squalene synthase and prevents the formation of squalene which later gets converted to cholesterol and reduces LDL cholesterol levels to exhibit therapeutic intervention.

About Ewha Womans University: Ewha (www.ewha.ac.kr) is one of the most prestigious university of South Korea, based in Seoul, and founded in 1886 by an American missionary, Mary F. Scranton, under Emperor Gojong. It is the second founded university in South Korea and is currently the world's largest female educational institute. The purpose of Ewha education is to cultivate pioneering female leadership who embodies a society where gender equality is harmoniously completed based on mature Christian character, dedicated service spirit, and professional academic knowledge. The university collaborates with around 1020 partners in 86 countries worldwide.

About SOM Biotech: SOM Biotech (www.sombiotech.com) –established in 2009- is a biopharmaceutical company based in Barcelona, Spain. SOM has an extensive portfolio of products that includes drugs for orphan diseases including TTR Amyloidosis, Huntington's disease, Phenylketonuria, Niemann-Pick C, Glioblastoma and Parkinson’s disease. The company engages in accelerated discovery of therapies through a proprietary artificial intelligence-based computational technology (SOMAI PRO) and develops strategic partnerships with major research centers and pharmaceutical companies.

Media contact: Katja Görnemann, gornemann@sombiotech.com Tel: +34 696135428

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