ADVENTRX: Products: Infectious Disease: BlockAide/VP

ONCOLOGY FOCUS

PRODUCT CANDIDATES

ANX-201
EradicAide
BlockAide/VP

BLOCKAIDE/VP

BlockAide/VP is a synthetic human-derived peptide that renders HIV unable to bind to and infect human immune system cells by mimicking the CD4 immune cell receptor site.

Summary:

Synthetic human-derived peptide that mimics the CD4 immune cell receptor site.
- BlockAide/VP changes configuration of HIV proteins which renders the virus non-infectious.
Works differently than fusion inhibitors.
- BlockAide/VP disables viral proteins prior to docking and fusion steps; may be complementary to and synergistic with fusion inhibitors.

Early tests indicate that HIV virus exposed to human immune system cells with the BlockAide/VP compound present is unable to bind to and infect such cells.

HIV depends on its ability to enter and infect host cells in order to multiply and survive. In the case of HIV, the binding protein named gp-120 interacts with a receptor site known as CD4, which is present on the surface of human immune system cells. Interaction of the HIV virus with CD4 causes a change in the shape of gp-120, uncovering the actual binding region of gp-120, which then fuses with additional receptors on the surface of immune system cells, BlockAide/VP mimics a section of the CD4 receptor.

When BlockAide/VP comes into contact with the gp-120 protein present on the surface of HIV, it appears to cause a change in the protein-folding configuration of gp-120, rendering the gp-120 unable to initiate the infection process.

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