Clear Creek Bio Advances Its Highly Potent SARS-CoV-2 PLpro Inhibitors in Discovery of an Oral Direct-Acting Antiviral to Treat COVID-19

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Clear Creek Bio, Inc. announced today that the company has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to identify and develop a SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) inhibitor. PLpro is an essential coronavirus enzyme involved in viral replication and regulates host innate immune responses to viral infection. The potent PLpro inhibitors developed by Clear Creek Bio have attractive drug properties, and this CRADA will support development of the most promising candidates, including completing IND-enabling studies.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has caused the deaths of more than 800,000 people in the United States and more than 5 million globally. Despite worldwide efforts, a strong medical need remains for safe and effective, orally available, direct-acting antiviral agents for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The continuing emergence of new variants that challenge existing therapies further underscores this need for additional treatments.

“There’s a critical need for widespread availability of highly effective oral antivirals that can be taken at home early in the course of infection, significantly reduce transmission of the virus and prevent overwhelming surges in hospitalizations, ultimately saving lives,” said Nadim Shohdy, Ph.D., Vice President for Corporate Development at Clear Creek Bio. “It’s clear that we will need direct-acting antivirals against multiple SARS-CoV-2 targets to combat variant-driven resistance.”

“PLpro is a promising target for therapeutic intervention against COVID-19 because of its potential for dual effects—blocking SARS-CoV-2 replication and promoting antiviral immunity,” said Vikram Sheel Kumar, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Clear Creek Bio. “We have potent inhibitors that we are excited to advance and expand under this collaboration with NCATS.”

About Clear Creek Bio

Clear Creek Bio is a private, clinical-stage biotechnology company with a mission to develop therapies that meet the global need for safe, effective, and easy-to-administer antivirals. Clear Creek Bio is focused on host-targeting and direct-acting small molecule antiviral therapeutics targeting SARS-CoV-2 and other medically important viruses. The Company’s first drug candidate, brequinar, has potent antiviral activity against a wide range of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, and is presently being studied in a Phase 2 clinical trial for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. For additional information, please visit www.clearcreekbio.com.

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