Merck and PeptiDream Collaborate to Develop Novel Peptide COVID-19 Therapies

Merck (Kenilworth, NJ, USA) and PeptiDream Inc. (Kanagawa, Japan) have entered into a collaboration for the discovery and development of novel peptide therapeutics capable of neutralizing both the current SARS-CoV-2 virus and potential future coronavirus.

PeptiDream, a biopharmaceutical company, employs its proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System (PDPS), a state-of-the-art highly versatile discovery platform which enables the production of highly diverse (trillions) non-standard peptide libraries with high efficiency, for the identification of highly potent and selective hit candidates, which then can be developed into peptide-based or small molecule-based therapeutics. Under the collaboration between Merck and PeptiDream, the companies will focus their combined efforts on developing peptide therapeutics that may be effective against multiple coronavirus strains. The agreement builds on the original research collaboration and license agreement between both companies that was announced in April 2015.

“We are excited to announce this partnership focused on the discovery and development of peptide candidates targeting multiple coronaviruses. Our wide-ranging collaboration continues to make exceptional progress and I am confident that together we can make an impact in combating this global challenge,” said Patrick C. Reid PhD, President and CEO of PeptiDream.

“Our experience has shown that good science and strong collaborations are essential to develop medicines and vaccines, and that is especially true now in a global public health emergency,” said Emma Parmee DPhil, Vice President, Discovery Chemistry research, Merck & Co., Inc. “We look forward to working with scientists at PeptiDream to identify candidates targeting SARS CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.”

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