Ralph S Baric

Mar 26, 2025 | nature.com | Sofie Jacobs |Jordi Doijen |Rana Abdelnabi |Michiel Van Gool |Alexandra Schafer |Dirk Jochmans | +12 more

AbstractThe membrane (M) protein of betacoronaviruses is well conserved and has a key role in viral assembly1,2. Here we describe the identification of JNJ-9676, a small-molecule inhibitor targeting the coronavirus M protein. JNJ-9676 demonstrates in vitro nanomolar antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and sarbecovirus strains from bat and pangolin zoonotic origin.

Dec 6, 2024 | cell.com | Kaitlin R Sprouse |Marcos Miranda |Nicholas J. Catanzaro |Amin Addetia |Cameron Stewart |Jack Brown | +19 more

KeywordsMERS-CoVEMPEMnanoparticlevaccineRBDNTDspikeResearch topic(s)CP: ImmunologyIntroductionThe recent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has demonstrated the human and economic toll that can accompany the spillover and spread of a zoonotic disease in humans. Although the success of vaccine development efforts in response to the pandemic were a triumph of modern vaccinology, SARS-CoV-2 remains the only coronavirus for which licensed vaccines are available.

Jun 27, 2024 | nature.com | Cameron Stewart |Alexandra Schafer |Young-Jun Park |John Powers |Davide Corti |Ralph S Baric | +1 more

AbstractEvolution of SARS-CoV-2 alters the antigenicity of the immunodominant spike (S) receptor-binding domain and N-terminal domain, undermining the efficacy of vaccines and antibody therapies. To overcome this challenge, we set out to develop a vaccine focusing antibody responses on the highly conserved but metastable S2 subunit, which folds as a spring-loaded fusion machinery.

May 3, 2024 | nature.com | Elizabeth Anderson |Jennifer Diaz |Sarah R. Leist |Alexandra Schafer |John Powers |Ralph S Baric | +2 more

AbstractWhole virus-based inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide have been critical to the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Feb 20, 2024 | nature.com | Ching-Lin Hsieh |Sarah R. Leist |John Powers |Jonathan C. Schisler |Ralph S Baric |Alexandra L. Tse

AbstractEver-evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) have diminished the effectiveness of therapeutic antibodies and vaccines. Developing a coronavirus vaccine that offers a greater breadth of protection against current and future VOCs would eliminate the need to reformulate COVID-19 vaccines. Here, we rationally engineer the sequence-conserved S2 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and characterize the resulting S2-only antigens.