A joint study with Keio University has been published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition

A research group led by Associate Prof. Daisuke Takahashi and Prof. Kazuatsu Toshima from the Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, in collaboration with Dr. Itsuki Anzai (Assistant Professor) and Prof. Tokiko Watanabe from the Molecular Virology Department at our institute, successfully synthesized sulfated tetrasaccharide analogs-key components of fucoidan found in seaweed.

The team evaluated these analogs for their ability to inhibit both heparanase, an enzyme involved in the severity of COVID-19, and the infection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. The results revealed that the synthesized compounds exhibit dual inhibitory activity against heparanase and SARS-CoV-2 infection, highlighting their potential as lead compounds for developing therapeutics to mitigate severe COVID-19 symptoms.

This study was published online on October 7, 2024, in the Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a journal of the German Chemical Society.

Related Links

• Details of the Research Results (Keio University Press Release, ResOU Osaka University)
• Publication in Angewandte Chemie International Edition
• Molecular Virology Laboratory Details