Discovery of novel, broad-spectrum Bicycle peptides targeting pandemic and seasonal influenza neuraminidases.

Novel therapies must be developed to prepare for future pandemics caused by influenza and seasonal influenza (primarily type A but, to a lesser extent, B). One such novel therapy is Bicycles. Bicycles are formed by constraining relatively short linear peptides using a central chemical scaffold to convert them into a stable bicycle structure. The project's novelty is the use of Bicycle peptides, which is a novel kind of therapy. They have the pharmacological properties and binding affinities of biologics while being easy to synthesize, and their pharmacokinetic properties are reminiscent of conventional small molecules. This unique blend of properties makes them excellent candidates for treating various diseases. The potential impact of this project is to build up a library of molecules that can bind to neuraminidase and can be further developed upon to make therapies that can be used in humans. Another point of novelty is the use of computational approaches to make, validate and test these molecules. This project aligns with EPSRC's strategy and research area, which is Antimicrobial resistance and finding methods of addressing this ever-evolving issue.