Journal des bioprocédés et des biotechniques

Ezrin Peptide Therapy: A Potential Treatment for COVID

Abstract

Rupert D Holms1* and Ravshan I Ataullakhanov2

Ezrin Peptide Therapy was invented in London and developed in Moscow over the previous three decades. Synthetic 14 amino acid peptides that mimic a receptor site in human ezrin, inhibit inflammation and amplify adaptive anti-viral immunity. Human Ezrin Peptide One (HEP1, Gepon) was registered for human use in the Russian Federation in 2001. The successful treatment with ezrin peptides of acute viral respiratory infection with pneumonia complications, led to testing of ezrin peptides as a potential COVID therapy. RepG3, a derivative peptide of HEP1, which has double the IL-6-expression inhibition activity, is being developed as a therapy for COVID and may also help to prevent SARS-CoV-2 re-infection.