Global Emergence of SARS-CoV2 Infection and Scientific Interventions to Contain its Spread.

The global pandemic caused by COVID-19 posed a significant challenge to public health, necessitating rapid scientific interventions to tackle the spread of infection. The review discusses the key areas of research on COVID-19 including viral genomics, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The genome sequencing of the virus facilitated the tracking of its evolution, transmission dynamics, and identification of variants. Epidemiological studies have provided insights into disease spread, risk factors, and the impact of public health infrastructure and social distancing measures. Investigations of the viral pathogenesis have elucidated the mechanisms underlying immune responses and severe manifestations including the long-term effects of COVID-19. Overall, the article provides an updated overview of the diagnostic methods developed for SARS-CoV-2 and discusses their strengths, limitations, and appropriate utilization in different clinical and public health settings. Furthermore, therapeutic approaches including antiviral drugs, immunomodulatory therapies, and repurposed medications have been investigated to alleviate disease severity and improve patient outcomes. Through a comprehensive analysis of these scientific efforts, the review provides an overview of the advancements made in understanding and tackling SARS-CoV-2, while underscoring the need for continued research to address the evolving challenges posed by this global health crisis.

Protein Engineering, a Robust Tool to Engineer Novel Functions in Protein.

Designing effective diagnostics, biotherapeutics, and biocatalysts are a few interesting potential outcomes of protein engineering. Despite being just a few decades old, the discipline of de novo protein designing has provided a foundation for remarkable outcomes in the pharmaceuticals and enzyme industries. The technologies that will have the biggest impact on current protein therapeutics include engineered natural protein variants, Fc fusion protein, and antibody engineering. Furthermore, designing protein scaffolds can be used in developing next-generation antibodies and in transplanting active sites in the enzyme. The article highlights the important tools and techniques used in protein engineering and their application in the engineering of enzymes and therapeutic proteins. This review further sheds light on the engineering of superoxide dismutase, an enzyme responsible for catalyzing the conversion of superoxide radicals to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide by catalyzing a redox reaction at the metal center while concurrently oxidizing and reducing superoxide free radicals.

Improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic attributes of artemether-lumefantrine-loaded solid SMEDDS for oral administration.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the in-vivo efficacy of solid SMEDDS containing combination of artemether and lumefantrine. METHODS: Formulation development of solid SMEDDS containing combination of artemether and lumefantrine was carried out using spray drying technique. These S-SMEDDS were evaluated for reduction in parasitemia and mortality as well as subacute toxicity in mice. Haematology, biochemical parameters and histopathology were performed for evaluating safety of formulation. Pharmacokinetic characterization of both drugs was performed after oral administration in rats. KEY FINDINGS: Optimized solid SMEDDS containing low, medium and high dose were more effective in reducing parasitemia and mortality of mice as compared to marketed tablets containing high dose of these drugs. Single oral administration of solid SMEDDS containing high-dose combination could maintain plasma concentration of lumefantrine above the minimum effective concentration for ≈4 days. CONCLUSIONS: Solid SMEDDS containing low-, medium- and high-dose combination of artemether and lumefantrine are more effective than marketed tablets.