A broad multi-program approach to rapidly identify and develop novel therapeutics and diagnostics for Covid-19 using Bicyclic Peptides (Bicycles)

A new class of drug molecules called Bicycles is being rapidly screened against multiple targets to find both antiviral treatments for early COVID-19 and anti-inflammatory therapies for patients who develop severe lung inflammation in hospital. Current COVID-19 treatments remain limited. Antivirals work best when given very early in infection, and for patients who progress to severe inflammatory disease—often requiring intensive care—few targeted options exist. Bicycles are small, synthetic peptides that can be engineered to bind tightly to specific proteins, and the platform technology can identify promising candidates in weeks rather than years. If successful, this multi-target approach could produce two distinct types of therapy: one that blocks the virus from replicating in newly infected people, and another that calms the dangerous immune overreaction seen in late-stage disease. Both would fill clear gaps in the current treatment arsenal. The same platform could also be rapidly redeployed against future pandemic viruses, offering a faster route to therapeutics than traditional drug development. The abstract does not specify patient numbers, cost figures, or trial timelines.