Technology ID
TAB-3549
Quantum Dot Conjugated Virus Spike Protein for Cell-based Bio-sensing Systems and Drug Screening for the Prevention of Viral Infections
E-Numbers
E-027-2021-0
Lead Inventor
Gorshkov, Krill (NCATS)
Co-Inventors
Oh, Eunkeu (Naval Research Laboratories (NRL))
Wolak, Mason
Susumu, Kimihiro (Naval Research Laboratories (NRL))
Applications
Therapeutics
Occupational Safety and Health
Consumer Products
Therapeutic Areas
Infectious Disease
Lead IC
NCATS
ICs
NCATS
This technology includes a method to facilitate identification of drug targets that can prevent SARS-related viruses from entering human cells with ACE2 receptors on the plasma membrane. Surface binding to cellular ACE2 of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is the first step of infection for the disease COVID-19. The invention allows for visualization of cell binding and entry of a “quantum dot conjugated virus spike protein” (hereafter referred to as either a ‘QD-Spike conjugate’ or a ‘pseudo-virion’) and can be used to screen libraries of drugs that prevent/inhibit this cell entry. The QD-Spike conjugates can be visualized in real time using high-content microscopy in live assays of human cells treated with both QD-Spike and drug targets.
Commercial Applications
- QDs can be used as a platform technology for viral Spike or other receptor binding proteins to screen for compounds or biologics that prevent viral infection.
- The nanoparticles developed can be used to specifically target certain cells or tissue types by conjugated nanoparticles with the particular protein that binds to them and the nanoparticle can encapsulate a drug to be used as a drug delivery device
Competitive Advantages
To date, there is no assay that can report on the binding of Spike to ACE2 on the cell surface, nor is there an assay that can report on the endocytosis of ACE2 in living cells without the need for complicated immunostaining procedures in a BSL-2 facility. The QD pseudo-virion mimics the shape and physiological activity of a SARS virus particle without being infectious or hazardous to humans.
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