Lenkeit, Evan: Designing an Oral Drug for SARS-CoV-2

Title: Designing an Oral Drug for SARS-CoV-2

Name: Evan Lenkeit

Major: Chemistry

School affiliation: School of Arts and Sciences

Programs: Aresty Summer Science Program

Other contributors: Stephanie Laporte, Mark Dresel, and Spencer Knapp

Abstract: With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an immense need for new molecules for treating the virus. Based on available data, the drug Remdesivir (Gilead Sciences) has shown promising activity in treating the virus. By using flexible alignment calculations, several potential candidates for future development as treatments have been identified. The candidates are isosorbide analogues, which preserve Remdesivir’s functional groups’ relative positions in space. The proposed molecules have the added potential of greater water solubility, allowing for development of a pill to be administered orally. An oral treatment could be especially advantageous for patients with limited access to healthcare since Remdesivir must be administered intravenously, which requires additional medical supplies and personnel. Thus, the proposed candidates have greater potential for efficacious treatment in impoverished or rural areas with little access to healthcare.