UBC researchers find three compounds that block COVID-19 infection

A team of researchers led by scientists at UBC has identified three compounds that can prevent COVID-19 infection in human cells.

The compounds are all from natural sources in Canada, including a sea sponge plucked from B.C.’s Howe Sound and marine bacteria from Barkley Sound.

François Jean and co-author Jimena Perez-Vargas headed an international team that investigated more than 350 compounds from natural sources such as plants, fungi and marine sponges to unlock their potential to create new antiviral drugs for use against COVID-19 and other pathogens.

“This interdisciplinary research team is unravelling the important possibilities of biodiversity and natural resources and discovering nature-based solutions for global health challenges such as COVID-19,” said senior author Jean, an associate professor in the department of microbiology and immunology at the University of B.C.