Photo: CFD Research has been awarded a $1.5M contract to develop extremophile-derived antivirals to protect soldiers and civilians from COVID-19. Selection was based on achievements during previous drug discovery projects and a novel strategy for targeting the SARS-CoV-2 virus. (Abigail Edwards / CFD Research)

By Margetta Thomas, Alabama NewsCenter

CFD Research, based in Huntsville, has been awarded a $1.5M Phase II Defense Health Agency (DHA) Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract to develop extremophile-derived antivirals to protect soldiers and civilians from COVID-19. Selection was based on achievements during previous drug discovery projects and a novel strategy for targeting the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19.

The CFD Drug Discovery group specializes in discovering new antibiotics, anticancer agents, antitoxins and antivirals with novel mechanisms of action.

“CFD Research has developed a unique platform which mines natural products from extreme environments, such as hot springs at Yellowstone,” said AJ Singhal, principal investigator for the project. “Most of our current antimicrobial drugs come from natural products, but these hot spring environments remain largely untapped. Our platform allows access to this hidden chemistry by utilizing metagenomics and synthetic biology.”

The technology developments made by this project will enable high throughput discovery of inhibitors for a critical coronavirus protein. These inhibitors will be developed into therapeutics not only for COVID-19 and its variants but also for other coronaviruses that cause the common cold.