Coronavirus Response
ULTRAPOTENT VACCINES
When COVID-19 hit, scientists in the King Lab leveraged partnerships with UW virologists and vaccine researchers at the National Institutes of Health to quickly create promising vaccine candidates. Our lead nanoparticle vaccine candidate induces ten-fold more protective antibodies in animal testing than comparable vaccines that do not use IPD technology. It has now been transferred to multiple commercial partners. Human clinical trials are underway.
The Dream Vaccine | Science
ANTIVIRAL PROTEINS
In less than a month, IPD researchers designed on the computer over two million minibinder proteins to target the novel coronavirus. Over 120,000 of the most promising candidates have been tested in the lab. The current best minibinders neutralize live virus with activities rivaling the best known antibodies. We are now working to advance these candidate antivirals into clinical testing.
De novo design of picomolar SARS-CoV-2 miniprotein inhibitors | Science
Antibodies Good. Machine-Made Molecules Better? | New York Times
RAPID DIAGNOSTICS
Diagnostic tests are essential for detecting coronavirus infection and immunity, but current tests are expensive and complex to perform. To overcome this, scientists in the Baker Lab have created new ways to detect SARS-CoV-2 in blood, as well as protective antibodies against it. These diagnostic biosensors are currently being optimized for use without laboratory instruments or refrigeration.
De novo design of modular and tunable protein biosensors | Nature