Coronavirus research tools and reagents
COVID-19 has spread rapidly around the world causing a pandemic that threatens global public health. InvivoGen offers a number of associated products for COVID-19 research, and its causative agent SARS-CoV-2. These include type I IFN inducers and inhibitors for studying viral entry and the subsequent host immune response. Additionally, we provide tools for the production of Fc-fusion proteins and neutralizing antibodies as well as vaccine adjuvants, for studying and developing novel SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics and vaccines.
Type I IFN inducers
Type I interferons (IFNα/β) are the prototypical antiviral cytokines. Inducers of these cytokines can be used to study the innate immune response to SARS-CoV-2. Such inducers include the following:
- Poly(I:C): TLR3 agonist
- 3p-hpRNA: RIG-I agonist
JAK/STAT signaling inhibitors
Activation of the JAK/STAT pathway by type I IFNs amplifies their action through the production of a plethora of IFN-stimulated genes. However, in the case of COVID-19, it can lead to hyper-inflammation and ultimately to a cytokine storm. JAK/STAT Inhibitors are currently under investigation to treat COVID-19 associated cytokine storm, including the following:
- Ruxolitinib: JAK1/2 inhibitor
Endosomal acidification inhibitors
Coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV and presumably SARS-CoV-2, enter and traffic through the host cell in endosomes. Targeting endosomal acidification is one of the strategies to limit SARS-CoV-2 infection. It can be achieved using the following molecules:
- Chloroquine: Endosomal acidification inhibitor
- Bafilomycin A1: Vacuolar proton pump inhibitor
Fc-fusion
Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 antigens, such as the Spike or Nucleocapsid protein, are used for the isolation of target-specific neutralizing antibodies. Fusing these antigens to the human IgG1 Fc region facilitates their purification. InvivoGen provides a series of plasmids for the expression and production of Fc fusion proteins:
- pFUSE-Fc plasmids: Cloning vectors for the generation of Fc-Fusion proteins
Antibody generation
SARS-Cov-2 recombinant neutralizing antibodies represent a promising approach to treat COVID-19. InvivoGen offers two families of plasmids for the generation of antibodies:
- pFUSE: Cloning vectors for the production of the light and heavy chains of an antibody
- pTRIOZ: Single plasmids for high-yield production of whole antibodies
Vaccine adjuvants
A number of different strategies are being explored for the development of a successful vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, most of them requiring the addition of an adjuvant to potentiate the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. InvivoGen offers:
- Alum, emulsions, and PRR agonists: Large vaccine adjuvant collection