SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease and PF-07321332

The emergence of another highly infectious pathogen, the coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19), poses a major challenge on global public health. Pfizer’s PAXLOVID (PF-07321332) was synthesised to act as an inhibitor to SARS-CoV-2 main protease, Mpro, an enzyme vital for the life cycle of the coronavirus. Designed to inhibit the proteolytic activity of Mpro by modifying the active site with the inhibitor’s nitrile carbon warhead and its other atoms that will interact with the residues of Mpro via hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions and covalent or non-covalent bonding. Thus, inhibiting the main protease will prevent the virus to enter a host cell, hence, stop the infection from happening.