A soluble ACE2 microbody protein fused to a single immunoglobulin Fc domain is a potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cell culture

Tada, Takuya; Fan, Chen; Kaur, Ramanjit; Stapleford, Kenneth A.; Gristick, Harry; Nimigean, Crina; Landau, Nathaniel R.

Soluble forms of ACE2 have recently been shown to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection. We report on an improved soluble ACE2, termed a “microbody” in which the ACE2 ectodomain is fused to Fc domain 3 of the immunoglobulin heavy chain. The protein is smaller than previously described ACE2-Ig Fc fusion proteins and contains an H345A mutation in the ACE2 catalytic active site that inactivates the enzyme without reducing its affinity for the SARS-CoV-2 spike. The disulfide-bonded ACE2 microbody protein inhibited entry of lentiviral SARS-CoV-2 spike protein pseudotyped virus and live SARS-CoV-2 with a potency 10-fold higher than unmodified soluble ACE2 and was active after initial virus binding to the cell. The ACE2 microbody inhibited the entry of ACE2-specific β coronaviruses and viruses with the high infectivity variant D614G spike. The ACE2 microbody may be a valuable therapeutic for COVID-19 that is active against SARS-CoV-2 variants and future coronaviruses that may arise.