Sorrento Plans Preclinical Testing Of 'COVIDTRAP' Protein To Treat New Coronavirus

Sorrento Therapeutics Inc SRNE, which is being touted as a takeover target, announced Friday it's working on potential preventative treatment for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The San Diego, California-based company, which is engaged in the development of new therapies for cancer, said it has produced a pre-clinical batch of STI-4398 aka "COVIDTRAP' protein and would immediately start testing its neutralizing and blocking activity in preventing the virus from infecting angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, or ACE2-expressing cells.

STI-4398, according to Sorrento, is a proprietary ACE2-Fc fusion protein that binds to the S1 domain of the spike protein. This could block the spike protein of the virus and prevent it from binding to the ACE2 receptors present on the target respiratory epithelial cells. Unable to penetrate the target cells, the virus loses its ability to replicate and spread.

This approach is likely to come in handy to generate passive immunity and shield at-risk populations such as health care providers, elderly populations or patients with compromised immune systems from developing COVID-19 after viral exposure, the company said.

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Sorrento also said its scientists are working on a manufacturing technology that could lead to high-yield cGMP production of COVIDTRAP fusion protein. Lab testing of the protein is expected to be conducted in the next few weeks, with the company planning complete the IND-enabling studies in the next few months.

"The COVIDTRAP candidate product developed by our scientists in the past month follows the similar approach we take to developing immune-oncology products for suppressing and/or killing off cancer cells by targeting specific tumor targets on cancer cells. We believe the same approach works for deadly viral diseases," said Dr. Henry Ji, CEO of Sorrento.

In pre-market trading Friday, Sorrento shares were up 18.44% to $2.12.