UNIST Develops Treatment for Mutant Viruses... 'Blocking Infection at the Source'

Professor Myung Kyungjae's Team Proves 'UNI418' New Drug Compound Blocks Mutant Viruses

Maintains Genome Stability and Inhibits Endocytosis... Published in Nature Sister Journal

Even after COVID-19, the threat of new viruses continues, and now a drug has been developed that can fundamentally block viruses from infiltrating the human body.

A research team led by Professor Myung Kyungjae (Director of the IBS Center for Genomic Integrity) of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNIST (President Park Jongrae) has discovered a compound called 'UNI418' that blocks the entry of coronaviruses. This compound regulates genomic integrity to prevent viruses from entering the human body.

Professor Kyungjae Myung, Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNIST.

Coronaviruses invade the human body through a process called 'endocytosis,' in which human cells absorb external substances. The research team found that inhibiting the proteins 'PIKfyve' and 'PIP5K1C' during this process maintains genomic integrity and can block viral invasion.

Genomic integrity is a system that securely protects genetic information and allows its use when needed. The team proved that 'UNI418' supports genomic integrity while also blocking the entry and proliferation of coronaviruses within cells.

Existing treatments inhibit viral proteins to prevent proliferation, but they have been less effective against variant viruses. This study is the first to reveal that it is possible to block the viral infection process step by step, suggesting the potential for developing treatments for variant coronaviruses or new viruses.

UNI418 inhibits intracellular PIP5K1C and PIKfyve to block coronavirus infection.

Co-researcher Lee Jooyong, a professor at Chungnam National University, explained, "We have suggested the possibility of blocking viruses from the very initial stage of their entry into the human body."

Professor Lee Jooyong.

Kim Mihyun, a researcher at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, said, "UNI418 has great potential to be developed as a new treatment that can effectively block a variety of viral infections."

Dr. MiHyun Kim

The research results were published online on August 1 in Experimental & Molecular Medicine (Nature Publishing Group), a world-renowned medical journal.