The technology platform of Virenc AB regarding antiviral efficacy and safety has been developed during years of research carried out at Örebro University and is verified in several pre-clinical studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

It is well-known that antimicrobial peptides efficiently kill bacteria, and we have previously shown that Plantaricin NC8αβ (PLNC8αβ) potently inhibits different pathogenic bacteria, e.g. methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Through electrostatic interaction between the net-positive charge of the peptides and the negative charge of the bacteria, the bacterial membrane lyses and the bacteria dye. Interestingly, we found that PLNC8αβ through a similar mechanism binds to the membrane envelope of viruses, e.g. SARS-CoV-2, leading to destroyment of the virus particle and inhibition of the virus infection. We demonstrate that the perturbating effects of PLNC8αβ are more efficient against viruses that obtain their envelope from the ER/Golgi membrane systems (e.g corona viruses) of the infected animal cell, compared to viruses that are equipped with an envelope from the plasma membrane (e.g. influenza viruses).

Since PLNC8αβ acts electrostatically against the lipid part of eukaryotic membrane-derived virus envelope, the probability that viruses develop resistance against PLNC8αβ is considered very low. This is a big advantage compared to other antiviral drugs which inhibit virus replication mainly by inactivating receptors and enzymes, since these proteins easily change structure due to mutations, making the antiviral agent ineffective. Antimicrobial peptides, including PLNC8αβ may be cleaved, destroyed and inactivated by human proteases. Virenc AB has solved this problem through two different strategies: i) replacing the native L-form of the amino acids of PLNC8αβ with the D-form, making PLNC8αβ insensitive to protease activity leading to long-term effects ii) protecting PLNC8αβ in a gel or cream applied close to site of virus infection allowing the peptides to act quickly and directly, but also over time, on nearby virus particles. Since PLNC8αβ is produced by the natural occurring probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum, which is a part of our normal bacterial flora, we consider the risk of PLNC8αβ causing harmful and toxic effects to be very small.

Our ambition is to deliver a clinically applicable antiviral product that is safe, non-toxic and effective.