ACE2 fragment as a decoy for novel SARS-Cov-2 virus

Fabiana Renzi; Dario Ghersi

We also showed that this fragment remains stable in an aqueous environment (as opposed to a shorter fragment comprising only helix 1). Further, the fragment does not appear to interfere with the physiological ligand of ACE2 (an-giotensinII), which is part of the renin-angiotensin system involved in the regulation of blood pressure. We would expect this fragment to be relatively easy to express and purify at a large-scale level 1 . Since this fragment is derived from a protein that is normally expressed in human tissues, the fragment should be relatively safe to use. The fragment might be administered directly by aereosol, avoiding the systemic route and possible degradation of the peptide. Additionally, the fragment might also be employed for diagnostic purposes. For example, immobilized on a substrate for a Biacore test, the fragment could serve as a quick binding assay to detect viral particles.