China-based Jointown Medical Devices Group Co., Ltd (SHA: 600998) has announced that its clinical trial filing for the Category 1 COVID-19 drug candidate, SHEN211, has been accepted for review by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). SHEN211 is an oral broad-spectrum anti-novel coronavirus non-peptide 3CL protease inhibitor, co-developed by a joint venture between Jointown and Convalife Pharmaceuticals.
SHEN211’s Mechanism of Action and Market Potential
SHEN211 targets the main protease of the novel coronavirus (3CLpro) to inhibit the cleavage of virus precursor protein, thereby blocking virus replication. This drug candidate offers a potential new treatment option in the ongoing fight against COVID-19.
Market Landscape for 3CLpro Inhibitors in China
Currently, commercially available 3CLpro inhibitors in China include Pfizer’s Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir, ritonavir), Simcere’s Xiannuoxin (simnotrelvir, ritonavir), and Zhongsheng Pharma’s Yueruiling (leritrelvir), all of which are peptide-like 3CLpro inhibitors. Notably, no non-peptide 3CLpro inhibitor has been approved in the country yet, making SHEN211 a potentially significant addition to China’s arsenal against COVID-19 if approved.-Fineline Info & Tech
